~Children and The Tale of a Pillow~

During class today, the kids were assigned 15 min of playtime- a standard routine. They were left to their own devices which wasn't too many...some lego blocks, books, puzzles- that sort of stuff. Ten mins and alot of noise later, this girl thrusted a small container of building blocks in my face and proclaimed: "this bowl of rice is for you, t'cher. finish it ok?" In the container was one-half of a pencil case. 'This is your scoop, t'cher. Eat now please?" she said before demonstrating how to use the 'spoon'. Feeling pressured, I caved in.

They never fail to surprise me with the things they say and do. Kids do have very active imagination and can make toys out of the most mundane things. Girls usually make cooking toys (masak masak*) and boys construct robots and planes that dip to the ground, complete with sound effects.

My four year old cousin, Nicole, likes to play pretend. Usually, she wears this ridiculous plastic high heels and carry this dainty winnie-the-pooh handbag and parade around the house in circles, going about her 'working routine'. She can get very busy. So everywhere she went, she carried that worn-out winnie-pooh bag which should have retired a long time ago. Children are funny people.

Think about it. When you were younger, did you ever had your own winnie-pooh bag that followed wherever you went? This prized possession can come in so many forms- a small blanket, a pillow, pacifier, bag, a rag doll..the list goes on. Whatever happened to it?

For me, it was a huge, soft, pink pillow. And a smelly one at that. Of course to me, the pillow was aromatherapy...even if it smelled like history. Out of habit, I would always pluck the corners of the pillow, thumb in mouth, and rub the pillow edges till i fall asleep. But it was a weird pillow, i remembered feeling a big nail inside the pillow and i always wondered what else was stored in between the wool. I tied a rubberband around the nail. I had it for ten years and i swear i gave it a name.

That all changed when my father read somewhere that pillows shouldnt be kept for more than 5 years. Apparently, they become a breeding haven for germs. He then dropped the bomb: " Throw away lah.. i'm going to throw it away first thing tomorrow morning".

I panicked only for a moment. Then I protested. Didn't work. Next morning, i woke up early and stuffed the fat pillow into my school bag, while i carried my books in a separate bag. I shamelessly brought her to school that day. Of course my father was puzzled about the whereabouts of that old pillow. I lied, saying that i had thrown it away. Operation Pillow was going smoothly so far.

My lie caught up with me as soon as the pillow mysteriously re-emerged in the house. And my father very quickly outsmarted me. He wasn't going to tell me when he was throwing it away. But threw away he did. Needless to say, i was devastated. Being a petty kid, I did not talk to my father for 2 days. And he bribed me with a meagre $2. Again, I caved in.

My old friend died just like that. She could never be replace and i never did try.

* What's the point of this story? Sorry, I don't have one. I just wanted to write something...anything. So this is it. Let's dedicate a moment to our 'special friends' and hear about your prized possession.

Sixth-Sense and The World's Fastest Animal

I always think animals are extremely intuititive. That if you fear them, they'll sense it and in return become fearful of you- they might attack in such a situation, out of defence. Here, i'm in the cage with a cheetah. She's behaves just like any other domesticated cats. Cheetahs are great-looking animals. They are truly nimble and sleek.

Me and My Next-in-Kin

Me and Suria- a gorgeous but cranky orang utan. Kamahl always teases me when he sees this pic. "which one is the orang utan?" The one on the right...duh.

One.Step.Closer

It is Thursday, 4 days since my last entry. I've been busy and I miss blogging. Busy with what, you ask?

Concerned friends who are aware of my job situation have been asking me the same questions over and over again. And I find myself repeating the same answers like a broken record. So, to set the record straight, i've decided to blog everything out, get it out of my system and save myself a few breaths!

Since January, I've been working as a freelance writer. Now, I'm working on my third assignment for a local magazine. This assignment is the easiest and most interesting thus far. I've to do research on 8 diseases that used to plague Singapore before vaccinations became a norm. Dieseases like polio, rubbella, tuberculosis- stuff like that. Deadline is next Monday!

Its only my third and i'm just starting out. The Editor, is sort of putting me on a trial, to see if i'm right for the job. (because i'm a newbie in this field). I seriously enjoy what i do now. I love to liase with people, go for test-drives (my first assignment was to find the most popular family cars in Singapore), researching for info, interviewing people, taking pictures and finally, writing and compiling everything in a masterpiece. I enjoy the entire process, running this one man show. Eventually thou, i hope she'll hire me on a full-time basis! (fingers crossed)

On weekends, I teach phonics to a group of 5-6 years old and Creative Writing to a class of 10-year-olds. I've been teaching at this particular enrichment school for more than two years. Honestly, I do like teaching but i've become quite sick of it. I like kids alot but i miss interacting with adults. I felt like i was missing something and thus, embark on a job hunt. That was Dec, 04.

I'm aware of what I like and what I want for a full-time job. I'm going to stay a few years in my future job and I might as well take my time to find something I like- which is to write. Sure, I can settle for something less, but knowing me, i wont stay for long and i'll just end up losing momentum, or worse, job-hopping. All my working life, the jobs that I've taken up, have always been in-line with my interests. That's important to me.

For the benefit of those who just got in touch with me, and the new bloggers i've met, i would like to let you tell you more about my background. In Nov last year, I graduated with an Advance Dip in Mass Comm. Prior to that, I graduated with a Diploma in Tourism Management from Temasek Poly. That was a 3-year course.

While I was pursuing my Tourism Diploma, I worked for 2 years as a Tram Commentator in Night Safari. It remains my best and fave job of all-time. There, i get to write and update my own script which i then present to a tram full of 80 people! Its was exhilirating, to say the least. And I love animals. During that time, I also served a six-month internship in the Singapore Zoo as a Public Relations Executive. I met some amazing people (mostly zookeepers) and came up close and personal with alot of animals including cheetahs, horses, pythons, orang utans! I think i'll post some photos to show off. haha

I'm 22 now. I apologise if all these jobs and educational path are confusing you alittle. I can give you a timeline but who reads timelines? I've had an interesting life because of all these great jobs. And now, I'm impatient to make it even spicer ;)

AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ THIS.

It's All in a Name...

Its a fact!

-Top UN official Ruud Lubbers who has been accused of sexual harrassment has been nicknamed 'Lewd Rubbers'. Wicked!

-North Korean PM Kim Jong Il has named an orchid after himself- kimjongilia.

Huh?


*Know any wicked names that's blogworthy? Post it!

~The Skinny on Being Skinny~

These days, people mistakenly think being skinny is 'in' and fashionable. As someone who has been medically underweight all 22 years of her life, i feel fit to have a say on this. Someone once thought i was rubbing salt to the wound when i told her i was trying to gain weight. (She was on some diet, i think ). If that's what you think,you can stop reading from this point on.

People who have known me all my life know I'm perpertually 'petite'. No, I do not suffer from any eating disorders unless you consider irregular meals to be one. No, I don't hit the toillet, stick a finger down my throat and puke my food after a meal! (Yucks!).

Here's some insight to the daily comments and 'jokes' i'm grown so sick of:

1) Are you sure you don't get blown away by strong winds?

(Yes, i'm sure.. Unless it's a typhoon or a hurricane in which you too, would be blown off course)

2) Stranger (someone i meet for the first time): 'Nice to meet you Nat.'
Me: 'Nice to meet you too, ______.'
Stranger: 'Do you eat?'
Me: Ah..Yes (duh-look)
Stranger: 'Where did the food go?'
Me: 'Hahaha ' (fake laughter)

3) 'Eh, i think you stopped growing since when you're were 12'

4) 'Are you sure you've reached puberty? '

5) 'Nat, you look like you can swim in that shirt.'

6) 'You look like a 12-year-old playing dress-up.'
(Ouch.Ouch.Ouch. This is by far, the WORST!)

The things people spew from their mouths! What guts! But having said that, alot of these comments are from my humourless, good-natured friends with well-meaning intentions.

Apart from breakfast ( which i habitually skip), I eat all my meals and the occasional supper. I stop as soon as I'm full. I neither undereat nor overeat. As long as I'm not hungry, its good enough. I do think alot of my size has to do with genetics disposition: My parents and siblings all veer towards the skinny side, except for my cop brother who is fit as a fiddle next to the rest of us.

Apart from enduring insensitive comments about my size, shopping poses another problem. All my adult life, i've had difficulty finding pants and jeans that fit. Tops are slightly easier. I'm smaller that a U.S size 6 and that means alot of snazzy brands like Topshop, Zara and Forever 21 are out for me. ( Thankfully, i can still shop in Mango for their XS sizes! ) I seldom buy black-coloured clothes because they shrink me some more. Most of my skirts and pants have gone through alteration, which means i have to fork out extra $$.

Recently, I've to endure the 'force-feeding' from my boyfriend and he's been making me eat huge beefy burgers and making all the food choices at eating joints. Sometimes, we sit for an hour just waiting for me to finish my (or rather his) orders. I have lost my dignity as an adult making responsible diet choices and worse, eating food I don't like takes the whole joy out of eating.

In the past, I can have nuggets, a coke and fries. Now, it's considered an 'incomplete' meal and I have to top it off with something else. Maybe I'm just being ungrateful.. but I just don't feel the urgency to put on that few extra kg. My boyfriend think its unhealthy..that I'm lacking in some life-sustaining nutrition. The truth is, I hardly ever fall sick. These days, I can jog for 2km (a huge feat for my standards) and swim continuously for two hours without collaspsing in exhaustion.

Sure, i would love to 'fill' my clothes nicely. Sure, I admire Latino women for their right curves and fleshiness. Sure, i know i can use a few pounds...well..I guess my whole point of writing this is to dismiss the notion that being skinny is trendy. I don't believe slimming ads and diets. I believe in eating what you like, savouring what you put in your mouth and exercising regularly. You only live once, no? But in the meantime, leave your skinny friends alone!

< The Road Less Travelled >

This is the road less travelled- literally. I love this long stretch of pavement near jalan kayu, two stops from where i live. It has been left largely untouched, forsaken and quiet, making it a rare piece of land in this tiny country. The government should stop developing and start planting. Stop felling and start preserving. Take a d.e.e.p breath.

(*Man in question here is kamahl who steps into serendipity. See that mysterious shadow? that's me ;)

Cast of Hotel Rwanda deserves more than reccomendation! Watch and Be Stirred..

~ Hotel Rwanda ~A GEM of a Movie

Once in a blue moon, an unforgettable movie comes along and takes your breath away. Hotel Rwanda is one such picture. Filmed in documentary fashion, this movie is a refreshing change from your typical Hollywood blockbuster. Thank God for that.

It is 1994 and Rwanda is experiencing one of it worst ethnic unrest between the Hutus and Tutsis. The story follows the real life account of Paul Ruseabagina (played by Don Cheadle), a house manager, who transforms the hotel into a makeshift refugee camp, saving over a thousand people through his connections while in the meantime, squeezing the last drop of whatever resources left in the hotel. He begs, bribes, spin stories and negotiate in spite of the circumstances to 'buy' the lives he was trying to protect. While doing all that, he somehow found time and perspective to romance his wife in a makeshift wine-and-dine session on the hotel roof-top. (Awwww)

In a particularly poignant scene, Paul repeatedly struggles with his tie (throughout the show, he is well- dressed and portrays a picture of calm and authority despite of the chaos) only to collapse in desperation, allowing his emotions to get the better of him. At this point, I have to say the great acting by Don Cheadle digs into your heart.

While the genocide wiped out more than a million lives over a short three months.. the atrocities went largely unnoticed in the western world, abandoned by those with the power to help. Depending on how you look at it, this could be a tragic story or one of hope and courage of a few rare individuals. To me, it is a potent-mix of both and that's what makes it a compelling watch.

Happy Valentines Day from Us to You. Chill out and have a blast. Wherever you are.

The ConBird

One of my pet birds..now don't be deceive by its docile appearance..she is highly aggressive and noisy. She's chinese-educated by the way..she only listens to my Mum's mandarin commands and silly baby coo-coo talk. She likes classical music ( I think)

~Nesting INSTINCTS & A New GENERATION~

I wonder what birds look for when they select a place to nest. My aunt's 9th-storey balcony must have been prime location cos this bird chose it not once, but thrice! Over the past few weeks, i've seen the nest growing in size and the entry hole perfected. Now, its a mass of feathers, twigs and dead leaves all plastered together by nothing but the canary's saliva. So i've never seen the bird but i've seen her architectural talents and i'm SEVERELY impressed. According to the maid and my aunt, she has just laid two eggs in it and is now guarding the nest, head perpertually stuck outside on the lookout. It small, beautiful and yellow...the canary bird...everybody say owwwww

:: 3 Random Thoughts ::

I want to share with you three random thoughts..before i forget.

No. 1: I believe in karma. No, i'm not the superstitious sort, but i firmly believe in the notion that what comes around goes around. Don't think that when no one's looking, no one's knowing!

No. 2: My blog is my baby. It's my heroin, cannabis, my addiction. You've been warned: Blogging is highly addictive. Remember the pleasure that is yours? By the way, I don't do drugs.

No. 3: The rosy brooch (below picture) is as large as my palm. I'm a sucker for all sequinned, furry brooches. (fake fur, of course!) Brooches give mileage to your clothes, really! Dont let me see you wearing one, i might just steal it from you.

Roses are Red,
Violets Are Blue,
My Brooch is Furry,
I love it as much as you!