Feeling my Age

Ok, so perhaps it's time to start popping the Glucosamine, order the Stemtech, and have a supply of Artrex on hand.

Ever since the gahmen decided that I should be the recipient of a highly subsidised upgrading project, I've been having knee pains. In no small part due to the climbing and squatting and kneeling associated with cleaning a house.

This seems to have gotten slightly better in that some days I wake up with almost no pain at all. Careful balancing of weight and keeping a good posture in mind seems to help.

But because my body INSISTS on letting me know that I'm not a spring chicken anymore, it has decided that since I've sussed out the knee problem, I should have a new one.

As I straightened up after leaning forward to type something on the laptop last night, my back began to protest. Uh-oh! I suspect it's a herniated disc. So it looks like I'ma gonna have to go see my doctor soon. In the meantime, I'm going to be lying down as much as I can to give it a chance to heal.

The family has been discussing the possibility of getting some live-in help to see to mum and dad and assist them in getting around etc. and right now this option is looking better and better.

*Ouch*

One More Time

I know this part

It's the part where I say thank you and move on

But I can't.

It's the part where my sense of self-preservation should kick in

But it doesn't.

So I run.

I run towards the pain. And wonder why I cannot find a way out.

Why I cannot accept it for what it is.

Because I'm stubborn. And headstrong. And all those other things that make me ME.

And the very things that make me strong, now make me weak.

Tastes like Chicken

I wanted some greasy, commercial-tasting, PMS-relieving, comfort food. So i traipsed over to KFC after work to buy my $5-coupon-get-able 2 piece meal.

There's a lady in front of me who looks like she's kinda smart- educated, speaks well- so I figure it shouldn't take too long.

I was wrong.

Dear lady, when u ask if it's a meal and the girl says it isn't - that means no drink, no sides, no nothin'!

When u ask if it's a la carte n she says yes, that means no meal. It doesn't mean u only get 1 piece of chicken. Especially when she tells u there are 3 drumlets in every box.

When she says there are no "original" drumsticks it means u can either choose crispy drumsticks or original other bits. Or u can wait- 10 minutes like she says. You do NOT get to yell about how your husband doesn't eat crispy nor does he eat any other chicken part. Really? Chicken is chicken. If he can't eat any other part, then wait. If u can't wait then get the crispy and peel off the skin. It's that simple. This is KFC. Quit making a fuss. It's dinner time and they are allowed to run out of parts.

What is bloody wrong with people?

Earlier in school a parent came in asking for a new guitar bag for a guitar he purchased last week. Because the zip had fallen off the one he has. There's nothing wrong with the guitar. Nor the function of the zip. The metal bit had fallen off. That's all. So go put a freaking paper clip on it. It'll still work. Or tie a piece of string. Or something. Surely, sir, you can't be THAT useless?

Oh what did you say? You paid a whole 50 bucks for the instrument? It's not a 20-dollar purchase? Really? That's your argument?

Sir, this isn't LV. You dont get a one-to-one exchange on a guitar bag that came with your 50-dollar purchase. By the way- it was $49. And you know, we sell bags. They're called accessories. For when your old one tears or breaks or gets lost. We don't keep them lying around just to hand them out to people like you who can't handle the fact that you 1) manhandled it enough to break it (we don't have complaints about the zip) OR 2) just happened to be unlucky enough that you got a lemon. But hey the zipping mechanism works, the guitar is fine, you checked it yourself when you bought it a week ago. So what's the f***ing problem here? You. That's what.

I'm going home now. To eat my chicken and watch TV. At least the idiots in movies always get their comeuppance!

Batman Kosong

That's what it felt like. No condensed milk. No evaporated milk. No sugar. Plain. 

OK I suppose some people will say it follows the Dark Knight graphic novels quite closely ( I don't know, I don't follow the comics, but that's what I read...) but as far as I'm concerned, if I'm going to watch a superhero movie, I'd like to see more Splat, Bangs and Kapows!

The Dark Knight didn't Rise to my expectations tho. Not enough gadgets, not enough high speed chases, not enough sexual tension between the Bat and the Cat, I DID however like Hathaway's tush on the too-big-wheels motorbike canon thingamajiggy. (The scene where she's blasting a hole in the tunnel...the movie was worth watching JUST FOR THAT!)

There was just too much psycho stuff, emo stuff and what happened to the confident, almost-arrogant, "zai" batman? I suppose I will be criticised for saying so, but I think I prefer the Tim Burton / Joel Schumacher series. 

There is an obvious sequel to this installment of the Dark Knight series - and I'm hoping it'll be better than the current movie. In order not to give away too much, I'm just gonna say this: I might enjoy watching Joseph Gordon-Levitt a little more than Christian Bale the next time around.

Enjoy this spoofy poster. Get it?

Batman : The Dark Knight...........................                     ...........................The Dark Knight Rises

Bits and Pieces

It's late.

Mum and dad are at my place this week. And sometimes they go in to bed early but wake up hungry again around 2am. Like babies.

Teen Wolf Season 2 Promo

So the mother and I have been sitting around watching Teen Wolf. She raises an eyebrow at me when I tell her I actually like the series. Her reply is "And that show about the Vampires too I suppose... what diary? something diary..."

She's referring to Vampire Diaries. Well. She's not wrong. I LIKE that  A LOT.

Ian Somerhalder

Ian Somerhalder... what's there not to like? So you know they say he's slated to be cast as Christian Grey in the movie version of 50 Shades. And speaking of that I'm actually reading that now. It has its moments. But I'm not going to start recommending it to anyone or anything like that.

Matt Bomer

Oh, Matt Bomer was/is in the running for the lead too... I'm not sure he'd make a good Grey tho. But  he sure is hot.

In other news, I haven't been shopping in forever. Well, not REAL shopping anyway. I DID go to TM on the Monday past to return my Hubstation power cable to Starhub. The fella kept asking me for the paper, the paper. What Paper lah? NO PAPER I tell him.

Then he says if I hadn't returned it I would have been charged for it in the next bill. What? Yeah. And I was supposed to have gotten a piece of paper instructing me to return the cable within 7 days. Well, no surprise there - Starhub CS kinda is da suck.

Then I go to M1 and the router I'm supposed to get is sold out. Only available in their Compass Point branch I'm told. Er, no thanks. I think I'll just go to Courts and get me another router. After all, Father of my Godson aka My Personal IT Hero says any router will do. Cheap and good is good enough. Don't need all that fancy shmancy stuff.

My Belkin router looks like one of these.

So I go. And get the router. And a stand fan- cos the parental units were coming over this week and their room fan died a while back but since they haven't been here I didn't get round to replacing it. So there I am, router and fan in tow. And I see The Body Shop having an up-to-70%-off sale in the atrium. So of course I lug my packages with me while I browse for bargains.

I end up buying $200 worth of stuff. For the awesome price of $96. You all know where your Christmas presents are coming from this year. Oh wait. So I guess I have been shopping. Hah. I feel cheated somehow. Like by-the-way shopping doesn't quite count.

*mutters*

For those of you who DO want to go REAL bargain hunting shopping at the expo, here's what's on right now. I have two words for you. Robinsons Sale.

Old School

I got on the bus. As usual the front portion was just terribly packed. Up the 2 steps to the back half of the bus, all seats were occupied but there was lots of standing room.

So I wove my way through er non-sweet-smelling school kids to go to the back.

An elderly man was just getting up to alight. And as he saw me coming, he took a couple of steps farther back to make space for me to get into his recently vacated seat. Only then did he continue on his way towards the exit door.

Now how many of u would just continue moving forward and then suffer the crossing over of one person behind the other? Cos I think I would have. *shame*

And this older uncle? I suspect he might be from the old school of gallantry, chivalry and good manners!

Mid Morning Rant

So someone I know is off on vacation. With the other half. Except I know they're not even faithful to the other half. But while the partner doesn't have their fidelity, they DO get the vacations, the presents, the jewellery...

My question and dilemma is this - would I be willing to settle down with someone who could give me material luxuries and comforts knowing that he is fully capable of cheating on me, and probably already is?

I suppose the answer to that would be no. But sometimes it just irritates me you know? Real Life. Yeah. It irritates me.

Love this tee shirt! LOL

So I hold out. Knowing full well that if I don't find the person whom I can give my all to, that I may very well never marry. And that's a choice I make. Given the situation and knowing what I know of myself. Do I have to be happy about that choice? Mostly I am. Unfortunately, once in a while I get irritated. 

Perhaps I'm feeling particularly sore about this because I've always felt like I've been cursed never to holiday with my significant other. Ever. Not a single one of them. (And no, going out of the country and coming back in the same day does NOT count - neither does travelling for a particular purpose - wedding/funeral/medical procedure.) 

On a Budget

Treble Clef Tote $5
Bright Purple Handbag $15
Shoes $10 each.

I'm an awesome shopper! 'Nuff said.

Magic Mushroom

So you HAVE to read this article about a sex-toy being mistaken for a mushroom. Like seriously?

Hilarious!

Unfixable

Sometimes things break down. You try and find a way to fix the problem and hope it'll be ok after that. But sometimes you can't figure out what the problem is. OR you THINK you've figured it out, only to realise a little but later on that that wasn't it.

My doorbell had been on the blitz. I changed the batteries in the receiver. Then it was ok for a couple of days. But it got wonky again. This time I changed the battery in the transmittor. It didnt look like that was it but lo and behold, by day 3 it was back to normal.

That was a few weeks ago. Today it died completely.

$10 and a short walk later, I had myself a new doorbell.

If I'da done that at the start I would have saved at least 5 bucks in batteries.

You know, come to think of it, thats what happened to my last few relationships too. Ah well. Now I know.

And the Amazon Commercial...

for 50 shades...er, I mean for Kindle. (capitalising on the 50 shades bandwagon)

enjoy :)

50 Shades of Grey

So apparently there's this book - 50 Shades of Grey. It's fan fiction. A term I only knew in passing till one of my besties (he'll kill me for using this word to describe him I'm sure) explained it to me last night, along with some of the terms / slang associated with it. Like "slash" which I find is kind of a cute way to associate the characters the author might want to throw together in a hot, steamy scene. The word itself brings to mind blades and bloodshed. But I digress.

Anyhow, I was reading some other blogs and sites on totally unrelated topics (not books, not fan fiction, not Twilight *groan*) and I came across a discussion on 50 shades. From what I read, this is the impression I have:

It's taking the world by storm;
Its audience is mainly (house/)wives;
There are explicit BDSM-related sex scenes in it;
AND IT'S STILL A BETTER LOVE STORY THAN TWILIGHT!

Mwahahaha.

Ok sorry, had to put that in.

Since I have a warped brain AND I enjoy books, I've gotten hold of the trilogy (yes there are 3 books!!) and will get to reading it soon.

Let's see if it really is all that it's cracked up to be.

You Asked!

So you ring and say you want to push back your class by half hour. I say ok because I happen to know the kid that takes up that slot is always eager to come in earlier.

So I go ahead and swop your class times. What does this mean? This means you don't get to call me 15 minutes before your original lesson time and say you'll be able to make it after all and you're on the way. Well, you can CALL. But I may not be able to accommodate you.

Sorry. That slot is no longer available to u. 'Cos I've given it away.

De-Cluttering

And by the way, I've deleted Around the Bibik's Kitchen and merged all the posts from that blog with this one.

This Thing we call Life

I took this from a friend's wall on FB. It's true though, isn't it?

There'll be times when you wonder if this is all life is ever going to be, because nothing's really happening... no one's doing anything out of the ordinary, there's no crisis, no job changes, everything's just the same ol, same ol.

And then BAM! The shit hits the fan. You feel as if you cannot breathe, you don't have enough hours in a day, you're running out of time, you have a million things to get done and your nerves are shot!

When I saw the quote I asked myself which state I was in. BOTH. That's how I'm feeling right now. Things at work are good. Uneventful. Or rather, there are things going on that I'm dealing with, I'm stressing about. But that's BEING handled. So it's not really panic stations there  yet. 

My personal life is stable but within that stability there are so many changes happening in my head that it's almost like I'm a different person every time I start a new day. I'm seeing things differently, reacting differently, trying on new behaviours and patterns almost on a daily basis. I don't know if this is self-discovery or neurosis. But whatever it is, this push and pull of the two existing in the same space kinda balances everything out in the end. The turmoil within the mundane. 

How much is TOO much

Have you ever been thrown into a situation where suddenly you realise this is exactly what you need at this very moment?

A new task that makes you feel useful again? Or a new friendship that makes you feel special and interesting again? Even a new conundrum that you have to solve and sort through and come out of feeling like the champion you always knew you are? 

See, I often give myself new projects, maybe because I just have too much time on my hands (NOT!) but sometimes the situations fall in my lap. And when that happens I think, I suppose the universe put this in front of me at this very moment because I need it somehow, or I'm at the right place in my timeline (FB much?) to cope with it.

And cope with it I do. I invest in it. It consumes my thoughts. I look at the world through eyes that have been tinted with the stains and streaks of this new reality that has taken over a large portion of my conscious thought.  But when there's a kink in the plan or something conspires to stem the flow of its progress/ development/ completion, I get deflated and disappointed and I start wondering if perhaps I didn't go overboard and put too much effort and faith into it in the first place. 

It's like the yoyo-diet effect except for my soul. In other news... the real diet is coming along quiet well. :)

I Guess It’s Time I Started Playing Again

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from OLPS asking if I could play for a funeral the coming Monday morning. This wasn’t the first time. I’d been asked before. Sometimes the Mass timing would clash with my classes. Other times I’d already made plans or had committed to other appointments and would have to turn them down.

On this occasion I was available. But I was oh so reluctant to agree. It was, after all, a Monday morning – my ONE off-day in the week. And in the morning too! I said I would check and call them back to confirm. Then I logged into Facebook. Which is where I spend my free time *heh*.

Glaring at me from the newsfeed page : a status update from an ex-boyfriend / current friend and neighbour giving details of his late father’s wake. 

Ah. This is the funeral I’ve been asked to play for on Monday. I called them back and said yes.

After the mass I got a call from an old choir member friend – Can you play for a funeral at Divine Mercy? I’ll ask the person in charge of coordinating it to call you? It’s this Friday. 

What the heck, I thought. I may as well. I’d forgotten what it feels like to play for Mass. And there is a strange satisfaction in playing for a funeral - as if having music made it less tragic and miserable somehow. Don’t ask me to explain it. I can’t. It’s just a feeling I have.

So after I got the call giving me the details for Friday’s Mass and organising the forwarding of music scores etc. I hung up feeling rather pleased with myself. 

I later found out that they were cousins - the two gentlemen whose funerals I played for. Wow. What are the odds of that happening?

After both Masses the coordinators of the respective churches asked if they could contact me for future er…  engagements  since I was available on weekdays and most of the other organists on the list weren’t. Yes I said. I figured it took a friend’s father’s (and uncle’s) passing to get me sitting on that organ stool again. So maybe He was trying to tell me something. Mainly that I hadn’t played for so many years that it was time I did something about it. 

And so this is me officially getting back into the saddle. I’ve got all this music in me, I reckon I should give back in His service.

Sudah Makan Belum? / Jiak Par Buay? / Have You Eaten?

I was on the way to work. Carrying a bunch of stuff. Keys still in my hand from having just locked the door. The cabbie was waiting and I was trying to shove myself and all my barang-barang into the taxi. Then my fone rings. It's dad. I ignore it till it disconnects. I'll call him back. It rings again. And continues ...

After I sort out the seatbelt I pick up the phone. Dad's calling to ask me where I am and if I've eaten. GEEZ.

Ok, I know he means well. And I know this Asian mentality has us all asking if the other party has eaten. But think about it. If I haven't... what is he going to do about it? Ta-Pau food and bring it to school for me? Unlikely right... And if I have... what's it to him? Besides, the question gets asked regardless of time of day. Surely that can't be why you're calling me right?

So I figured out it's really all about asking how I am and letting me know he's thinking of me and he loves me. Maybe even misses me. (Although I don't know why... we see each other often enough.)

Yet why is it that we can't just pick up the phone and SAY what we mean. If I haven't seen a friend in a while I call to ask how they're doing and if everything's ok... and maybe arrange to meet soon. If I wanna let mum know I was thinking of her because I came across something that she might find amusing I'll text her and say so. But Dad doesn't do SMS. Which means I can't send him constant messages to let him know I'm thinking of him. I also can't just pick up the phone and call him cos half the time he doesn't have his mobile phone with him. So how else am I going to let him know that he's in my thoughts?

This means every time he feels like hearing my voice I try my darndest to take the call. Sometimes it's just bad timing. The most recent call came while I was at a wake. I didn't realise how loud I was speaking until I said where I was (cos his first question was Where Are You) and the people seated at the table turned to look at me. I got up and left the table so I'd be less likely to cause a ruckus and continued talking to dad for a bit. Basically the conversation went thus :

Where are you - I'm at a wake - Whose - My friend lah, nobody you know - Oh have you eaten? - Dad... I cannot talk now k? 

See the thing is I feel rotten whenever I rush to hang up on him. But the problem is it's just SO inane that I can't help but get irritated. Seriously? I'm at a wake and you want to know if I've eaten? Really?

Today I rang him - on mum's phone cos I couldn't get him on HIS. And I said to him, you know if you call and I don't pick up, leave it. It just means I'm busy and I'll call you back. Also, please don't ask me if I've eaten cos that question really doesn't make any sense to me. I know you're calling to ask if I'm ok and to let me know you love me. So why can't we just say what we mean?  (I hope he gets it.) 

So now you're all asking "If you know what it is, why get so worked up?"

The answer is I DON'T KNOW. Every time I hear that question I don't know what to say. Well, yes dad, I ate 3 hours ago at lunch time. And since it's 5pm now I'm not sure what is it you're expecting me to have eaten - lunch or dinner? So do I say yes? Or do I say not yet? Or do I just disregard the actual question and give him a YES every time he asks? That's just stupid as far as my logical understanding is concerned. If we're going to be asking the same question and getting the same response regardless of the facts, so as to satisfy the need to connect KNOWING that what he really means is "I love you" and I mean "I love you too" then why the blardy hell can't we say just that? 

Daddy, the next time you call, just say "Hi girl, how are you?" and I'll say "I'm fine, I love you too". There. Was that so difficult?

Scratched

I met a bloke a couple of Fridays ago. We flirted, he got my number and I left.

The next day we had a conversation via SMS and he asked if I wanted to do dinner. I agreed. But he did say he'd have to confirm later in the day as his friend had driven off with his bag in the car the night before and he was supposed to meet him to collect it.

At 630pm he sent me a message saying he hadn't heard from his friend yet so he was gonna stay home and keep trying. 

Sure, I said. No worries. But I'm really thinking - hey, it's a bag. Couldn't you come out for dinner anyway and collect it later on? *Shrug* Whatever, right?

Over the weeks that followed we kept up an SMS conversation off and on... yesterday he asked why we never talked on the fone, and only communicated via text message. I said "Cos you never call, silly."

He did after that. We chatted for the duration of my bus ride to Simei and then I hung up. He said he had a dinner to attend that evening but should be done around 8pm. Asked if I wanted to meet up and hang out... I said sure. I didn't have anything else to do anyway. Although I did say I didn't intend to stay out late since I had classes early today. 

Well, 8pm came and went and there was no call, no text, no nothing. 

So at 1130pm I shot off a message saying this was the 2nd time he'd arranged for us to go out and never made it. 

At 645am this morning I got a text saying, "OMG I did it again, damn, man I was drunk and fell asleep babe. They made me down shot after shot. I'm really sorry baby, I'll make it up to you k?"

Well, no. Not ok. 

My reply was to the point. 

"Yeah, well, I told you I wasn't looking for just fun and good times and a random hook up. And if you can't keep an appointment - even a tentative one - without so much as the courtesy of calling / texting to cancel, then I'm out. It's just not my style."

And that's the truth of it - no common basic decency to let me know you've changed your mind (or your plans). So if you don't respect my time then I'm scratching you off my list. Tough sheeeet dude.

Facebook for Prayer?

Ok I'm not the most holy-moly person out there - heck I'm not even remotely regular in my church-going. But one thing I DO know is that I pray often. In the midst of my daily activities, when I'm waiting for a bus, when I see someone who could use a little blessing.

And currently I'm praying for my ex-choir member who has troubles with his heart - literally; I'm praying for a friend who met with a bike accident and is in hospital to stabilise a spine fracture; I'm praying for an ex-classmate whom I haven't kept in touch with but is battling cancer and has three primary school-going daughters (who must be distraught during this time that mummy is in the hospice - husband too) and I'm praying for a speedy recovery for another who recently had RF something or other done to the back of his throat.

From time to time I read a post about someone not being well and I offer a prayer. Some of my friends aren't regular meet-up buddies but we keep in touch online and that's how I find out about mutual friends' illnesses / accidents. Some of these friends are ONLY friends with me on FB, some began that way and have become real friends.

Whatever the connection, however, I should say, I'm definitely praying for more people now than ever before. And as a direct result of the beautiful social networking site that is Facebook.

So I say, while we're busy passing along pics and posts, quips and quotes, let's be sure to pass on the prayers too!

Bring Back Chivalry, Please

Some time last week two gentlemen friends took me out to lunch. In itself, nothing to rave about. However, I had such a wonderful time that I realise now it's been forever since I was taken out and pampered and treated like a princess. 

There was a [request to paint my nails, wear my hair in loose curls and put on a dress]. Lunch was at a swanky-type restaurant in MBS and was by no means cheap. 

The food was delicious, conversation, easy. Aside from the restaurant staff's impeccable service, I was also impressed (and surprised) by how giggly I was simply because [an arm or hand appeared] every time I had to navigate a step, threshold or (*shudder*) the terrifying modernity that is the escalator.  And since I had not one but TWO escorts it turns out I often had a [protective, guiding hand on the small of my back] at the same time another was proffered for balance.

Let me also rewind a little bit at this point - the decision to have lunch there wasn't made by me. I was [offered the option] to pick a place but having relinquished that right [the choice was made for me]. 

Once I knew what I wanted, one of my dates decided that he would [order for us]. And when lunch was over, asked if I wanted dessert. The restaurant didn't have what I wanted so he suggested we move elsewhere for a post-lunch coffee or tea.

Again there was the offer of letting me pick a place... but as I was unfamiliar with the mall's offerings I graciously declined to choose and [allowed the men to decide]. I made my way to a specialty tea shoppe in a manner befitting royalty- squire on either side of me, both always just half a step ahead.  Bodyguard much? I was beaming. It isn't often that this girl gets to feel so safe and esteemed. Considering they are best friends, I had expected them to go off on their own, half forgetting that I was there, deeply engrossed in some inane conversation about soccer, beer or the latest gadget trends. (I'm stereotyping, I know, but hey, all I have to go on is past experience right?)

Once we were seated and menus presented, I left the table to visit the washroom. Upon my return I enquired as to whether the guys had ordered. [No, we were waiting for you], came the reply. I was touched, nay, honoured.

The rest of the afternoon goes on in this fashion. I come away feeling admired, adored, pampered. Precious and Princess-y. And why shouldn't I?

So I say this...bring back Chivalry. Let the men decide. Let them take control.  Let them display their manhood. Let them treat their women like women!

To the feminists (and I'm all for gender equality in the work-place, mind you!) who think I'm taking a step backwards I say this - If you're always complaining that your men aren't stepping up to the plate (and they're weak / soft / indecisive) - why not let them wear the pants which, oh, I KNOW we wear so well, and give them a chance to show us what they're made of?

See the bits in red brackets? Those are the things boys don't do these days. Yes, I said BOYS. Equality is all well and good but here's the thing, women only crave equality so that we can fill in the gaps left by the men who aren't filling them in, and perhaps rightly so. If we need to do the dirty work, why SHOULDN'T we be given recognition for it? What puzzles me, though, is why those gaps exist in the first place!

Mid-Morning Musings

This post isn't supposed to make sense to anyone. Well, perhaps to ONE person. But that's not the point.

It's just that it's 3 in the morning and I'm lying here watching my shows but I'm finding it hard to concentrate on what's going on. My mind keeps drifting off to other stuff. 

Looking back on the people who've drifted in and out; some staying longer than others. Thinking about where I am now - is this where I thought I would be? Speculating and imagining the possible scenarios which might result as a consequence of the decisions I've made up to this very moment. 

I've heard it said a thousand times or more - the world isn't just black and white. There are tons of different shades of gray in between. You know what... it's not enough that we have gray... but all the different shades of gray. Like WOW. Crap. That's a lot of different shades.

At the moment I'm dealing with some new issues that have surfaced, developments if you will. Some physiological, some emotional, some psychological. And decisions have to be made. Choices, contingencies and plans to be thought through. And that's when I notice the grayness - like a rumbling storm cloud making its presence known against a clear, blue sky on a bright, sunny day. 

It used to be that decision-making was something I was good at. I've always been logical and clear-headed. If I seemed to make bad choices or "wrong" decisions at least I know I owned them. Hey, I said I was good at deciding. I never said I was good at making the RIGHT decisions. Those are two different things altogether.

But now I look at the situation in front of me and suddenly clarity eludes me. Gray. It's as if up to now I had been living a life of multiple choice questions. What do you do now - A, B, C or D? and then I go ahead and pick one. 

Now it's an essay question. What do you do now - and give reasons - and evidence - and possible outcomes. Like I said during a conversation with a friend last night, "It's like coming of age all over again." 

The Malfunction of a Modern Gadget

The players in this scene - The Bibik, one Ian Tie and a little boy Jim.

It was a hot and humid afternoon in Bedok South but, thankfully, we were safely ensconced in the piano room where the portable a/c was set to 'high'. 

The little boy Jim needed to do a wee-wee and so tried to turn the door knob. Now this is no ordinary knob. Well, it is but there is a slight vacuum effect in said room as the a/c thingamajiggy sucks in air. This makes it difficult for the little 'uns to turn the knob as they don't yet have the strength (or know-how) to accomplish this otherwise simple task. 

So up I got and went to rescue him. I turned the knob and nothing happened. And that was the beginning of the longest hour of my life (or at least the year.. so far).

Basically the deadlatch had broken and so the spindle wasn't connecting to it anymore. (see pic)

Before I go on let me say right here that for these few things I will be forever grateful:

1) that Ian Tie is a scout and welcomed a bit of adventure

2) that CJ was reachable by phone and had had a similar problem at some point in his life before today

3) that I had my iphone-PC charger cable in the room with me (so my fone wouldn't go dead halfway)

The rest of the story is simple - I got CJ on the line, told him what happened and he asked for a pic.  (CJ if you're reading this try not to laugh too loudly at those last few words... I know they got a giggle out of me!)

I was told to wiggle that teensy weensy tiny clip on the left to try and click everything back into place (or else loosen or dislodge everything inside). Problem is that silly thing was stuck FAST!

Some other stuff happened now... we tried to hook the thing with an opened-up paper clip; attempted to pry away the angled bit of the strike plate; at one point I contemplated climbing out the window and back in thru the other bedroom window to try and get it open from the outside. (Which I now realise wouldn't have worked either so thankfully I didn't do that.)

Ian eventually managed to jimmy it loose enough and proceeded to move it to and fro while turning the knob at the same time. I realised that there was no more tension on the springs.

Also, looking between the door and the frame we saw some loose bits sort of just getting jostled about in there. Glad to almost be free Ian and I took turns turning the knob and fiddling around at said bits with the blade tip of a pair of scissors.

Eventually all the pieces came away and we weren't stuck anymore.

Oh. And apparently I cut myself in the process and didn't feel the pain till after dinner when I was doing the dishes. :(

I've Changed My Mind

I woke up today thinking that I'd come in here and copy everything I'd written into a MS Word document then shut down the site.

But here I am. (Hey, I'm a woman... I reserve the right to change my mind on an hourly basis.) I started reading some of my earlier posts and found myself enjoying them immensely.

In a conversation I had recently with an old (and I mean O L D) friend, I found myself saying more than a couple of times that I'm a megalomaniac (I use THIS definition). Add to that the well-known fact that I'm an arrogant cow and egoist, and you can understand why I've decided to keep it going. I would be doing the world a great injustice if I didn't. 

So to absolve myself of any guilt I may have for not writing as regularly as I used to (way, way back when I started) or as much as I think I should be, I'll just say this now - IF and WHEN I do, I'll just share the link on my FB page (because you ALL know that's where I live my life these days) and if any of you feel like you'd like to read something cos it's been a while, PM me or post on my wall. 

In the meantime, Happy Monday cyber-friends!