New Year's Eve Musings

On the last day of 2017, I'd like to thank everyone who's a friend, in whatever special way you have extended your care, concern, love and affection towards me. Thanks to those who came by to visit.
We all tend to define the value of friendship through the amount of laughter and fun we derive from someone's company.
But the past month has taught me to treasure the friends that stood by me through adversity. 因为享乐很容易，但共患难才是真友情!
...

（Of course I'm typing all this in my bed, as I can't move much. But today I can finally lie on my back. So yay!)

我想你了

有時經過您的房間，還是會有股錯覺。彷彿把頭一探，依舊是您的笑臉 ，您不曾離開。

Friendships That Count

My sincerest thanks to the many friends who dropped by the wake this week, and/or passed your contributions to me, directly or indirectly. I'm especially touched by my old school friends and old colleagues, some of whom I've not met in quite a while.
You will meet new people and make new friends all the time. But you must always reserve a spot in your heart for longtime friends. Due to physical distance, or a shift in life's priorities, you may not always meet up often. But in times of crisis, when support is needed the most, these friends will make the time and effort for you, and that is what matters.

Goodbye, Grandma

Nothing prepares you for the loss of a family member. My grandma passed away last night at 9.30pm in the presence of family.
My earliest memory of childhood was jaywalking with her when she went marketing each day. She would hold me in one hand and an umbrella in the other, and her purse held firmly under her armpit. I eventually got my own little umbrella too and it joined us in our daily jaywalking routine.
We spent a lot of time in the kitchen. I remember yakking away in... Teochew to her while sitting on my red potty. In the evenings, she would carry me to look out of the window to see which uncle/aunt would come home first.

Nothing prepares you for the loss of a family member. But our combined love for her will tighten the bonds of this family she leaves behind.
Thanks to all who have been a source of support to our family during this time. If you'd like to attend the wake, pls PM me.

Hoping for the Best

Some of you may know, my maternal grandma has been in and out of hospital in the last 3 weeks, and the family has been under a lot of stress lately. We were very close to losing her on Sunday but she's fought every tooth and nail to hang on.
Her speech is blurred but her mind is clear. She is aware who has visited, and is able to list who else she wants to see. She doesn't want to sleep for fear that she won't wake up. When we visit, she strains to widen both eyes.
Yesterda...y her grandchildren crowded by her bedside, and her eyes circled the room as she registered our faces, and acknowledged us all. The little babies that all took turns to nap in the sarong that she lovingly prepared and rocked each of us to sleep.

We hope for the best.

Joanna

All the best to Joanna Dong tonight! I took notice of her n her voice back in the first edition of 《天冷就回来》back in 2007. Jazz deserves more attention and respect, and she's been a wonderful spokesperson for the genre and our country.

Jay Chou said something to her which was very touching and inspiring on the show. It was along the lines of “你一直担心你唱的音乐太小众，但殊不知，从你站上这个舞台的那一天起，它就不再是小众。” And this comes from the musician who fused oriental influence into rap and popularised it in mandopop.

老闆娘的最后一夜

老闆娘上週四結束了在本校園長達13餘年的工作經歷。昨晚我和同事在幫她整理物品之餘，我們有感置身在時光隧道，每一件物品都是記憶的影子。如果不是我和同事的「狠心」丟棄，她可能好多東西都捨不得擱下。丟著丟著，突然感慨，原來多年來的辛勤工作，最後也不過化為一堆廢紙。所幸我們培育的是學生，所以我們的真正成就，正在社會生活中發光發熱。花了這麼多年培育別人的子女，老闆娘現在終於能在往後的日子把時間無私的奉獻給自己的小孩。祝福她！

为安靜寶寶說話

小的時候，因為安靜，曾在課堂上吃過很多次悶虧。還有老師會自以為好意打電話向我媽媽投訴我的安靜。也有大人認為我的安靜意味著驕傲。

有一次媽媽聽信了老師的讒言，還搞不清楚狀況，以為我在學校裡幹了壞事，就用藤條伺候了我。那年我8歲，莫名其妙被打，哭得慘，也哭得冤枉。詞不達意，也沒想到能辯解，就不了了之。

長大以後，因為環境的改變，我學會也適應了溝通，我甚至需要在人群面前演講、教書。我的話醬子開了，不過真正的侃侃而談，僅留給讓我覺得舒服自在的人面前。我在很多人的時候還是會緊張，在陌生環境還是會變成當年的小學生。

不要歧視安靜的人，尤其如果他是你的親人，特別是小孩。我們有我們的好處。安靜不是放空，是讓我們更專注於聆聽和觀察。我們的沈默往往陪襯著沈思。你難道沒有發現安靜的人常常能夠一語驚人，敲醒夢中人嗎？

安靜的人往往筆鋒過人。去找找你的安靜寶寶最近寫或畫出來的東西。他有話說，就看你願否用你的心來聆聽。

Keep in Touch

It's not often that your Singaporean friend is abroad in the same city as you.

每一次的離別，每一句的"keep in touch"，我都在猜測到底真正持續保持聯絡和見面的，會有哪幾個人。有時候猜測的和現實不符，但隨著成長，原本牽掛的人或事現在都能放下。

我沒想到我和Tian Ming在這近十年，即便更換了幾個工作崗位之餘，依舊保持聯絡，也有約見面。這是難得的友情，也是珍貴的緣份。