My Contribution to the World of Animation

Inspired by The Bitter Stickgirl, this is my little attempt to contribute to the world of animation.



*chuckles*

Am I too warped when I say, I find this rather hilarious?

Weather Report

Stumbled onto The Bitter StickGirl's blog.

She has a way with lines which sums up my mood most accurately. So I'm borrowing it for this post.

Keeping the Faith

"Faith is a leap into the dark..."

Funny how the mind can perform mental gymnastics, playing a constant tug-of-war with itself, even during one's sleep, isn't it?

How does one carry on believing, in the face of what one believes to be incontrovertible evidence? Turn a blind eye? Ignore the "red finger pointing" to the obvious? Pretend all's well and act like nothing has changed (well, maybe slightly)?

Is it that much harder to just accept the inevitable? Would it require as much energy to accept and move on than to fight it? And what of all the energy expended in fighting off the inevitable? Would more kicking and screaming on the way out necessarily endow that which has been let go with more value?

Not denial, not the strength of memories, not even what you want badly, can undo a decision made. A heart changed.

Mars and Venus, in Orbit

Do you ever berate yourself for playing with fire? Especially right after your skin is swollen and hurting from the burns? With hindsight, the consequences are so clear.

And yet, the flickering flames, licking the air around it, catching the oxygen around it and burning more brightly, are so inviting.

For years, I had stoically resisted. I had peered curiously at the dancing flames, sometimes mesmerised, sometimes awed, sometimes dismissive, sometimes suspicious. When those who had stretched their hands and faces towards it had come away burnt and crying, I had listened, consoled, commisserated, and lent a shoulder. Those victims who were close to me, I had tried my best to be supportive, whilst not quite understanding why anyone with a rational mind (and those who are close to me would be equipped with that) would willingly succumb to its siren calls.

One day not so long ago, staring into the flames, I took a closer look. I thought I saw a shadow. I thought i saw something interesting. It piqued my interest. I threw caution to the wind and stretched out my hand.

Why aren't we endowed with a force field to protect us from the rougher elements in life? From temptation? From ourselves, in fact? Will we ever learn? That fire produces heat, and too much heat burns?

Zippadee-doodah!

I was so keyed up, I woke at 8 and could hardly go back to sleep thereafter. And this was after weeks of insufficient sleep (partly quantity, partly quality). Gave up after 20 minutes of determined tossing and turning. It's the weekend, so I shouldn't waste any daylight hours! :)

For my maiden solo trip, I chose Changi Village.

Wobbling around a bit at first, I worried I'd get killed before I could get there for my breakfast...Actually, on hindsight, I reckon the expressways with their light traffic is a lot easier to ride along than a full fledged traffic jam along the small roads. Especially in view of the fact that I was not used to squeezing between traffic yet.

And so, gingerly, I made my way onto the expressway, riding like I drove (that is, occupying a whole "car space"). At some points, I rode behind slow moving vehicles (all while keeping a safe distance, of course), so no impatient driver would honk me for riding too slowly (well, 80 kmph is hardly crawling on the expressway, but you know how drivers get...).

Eventually, I arrived at my destination, with a huge sigh of relief. I debated over whether to park on the pavement, as many had done. Or to do the legal thing, and park in a proper lot. I decided on the later, it being my first solo outing. Didn't need to mar it with a parking ticket (or the surreal experience of scrambling onto my bike to ride off should the "Parking Pontianaks" arrive). Then I remembered, I didn't have a parking coupon (or a pen) on me. So off I trotted to the nearest convenience store for my first booklet of coupons. 65 cts for a whole day! How to beat this kind of value?? I'm beginning to love the economy of this new lifestyle!

I rewarded myself with a hot Teh C and two slices of kaya toast. Sat and watched the world go by. Read a couple of pages of the magazine I had wisely brought with me. Aahh, this is the life!

When I had tired of the magazine I was flipping through, I got off my butt and browsed through the shops, taking some time to go through the stash at the Salvos (nothing exciting there. Shame). Shopping, as they say, is hard work. Didn't take that much to burn off the breakfast I'd just had. I decided to satisfy my craving of the past few days with the Tiong Bahru Chicken Rice (yes, located in Changi V). Mm, not recommended...

On the way to the beach, I congratulated myself for bringing along the polarized sunnies. Spotted some strange long-snouted translucent fish swimming about, causing a commotion amongst another school of red, black and white-ish coloured fish. Should've brought some bread along! Darn! Oh well, I'll be more prepared next time! Haha! This IS my maiden trip and I was fraught with nerves (she says defensively).

After walking up and down a length of the beach and failing to secure a shady bench to sit down and watch the world at play, I gave up and decided on a ride to the public library for the free aircon and some reading. When I'd had enough of THAT, I ambled over to the nearby mall, walked aimlessly about, gathered some groceries (all the while mindful of the limited storage space I had. I didn't need the extra challenges of plastic bags hanging off the handle bars while riding!) and finally headed home after a bowl of nutritious beancurdn with gula melaka. *burp*

All in, I'm happy to report to all my friends, I made it and am still in one piece!

No pics to post, as I'm still trying to figure out how to use the "new" mobile phone (borrowed from my sis) I had taken the pics with.

Word of warning to those not in the know - Went for steamboat-cum-BBQ with friends at Marina South last night. "A dining experience not to be repeated. Ever", says P resolutely. Save your pennies for Happy Pay. We shall be handing over ours much more willingly in the future.

Yawn

I am so tired.

I can barely haul my tired body out of bed each morning. And it's not because I dread going to work.

I keep meaning to get to bed early, to get sufficient sleep. But every night, I am caught up in the distractions of modern life - TV, the internet, email, chatting to friends. And then there's the good intention to finish reading a novel I had ambitiously rented from a bookshop and need to return for the remaining value on it before the expiry date. So, even if I am tired when I finally crawl into bed, I make it a point to read a couple of pages' worth before turning off the lights.

Then there's the search for T he Perfect Pillow. I've been looking for one that provides sufficient support for the side sleeper that I am, and still not give me a neck ache when I sleep on my back. The mission has been a miserable failure thus far. I have searched the department stores' various options. I have tried the "neck support" shaped pillow. I have tried the "2 soft pillows" option. I have tried the "maximum support down pillow" option. I have gone to the extent of carting back a "memory foam" pillow all the way from the US of A, and yet my neck ache persists.

I have been indulging in neck and shoulder massages, on top of the foot massages, in hopes of relieving the tension, to no avail.

It doesn't help that I've been unable to shut my mind to the various events in my life of late. Normally a dreamless sleeper, I've been tossing and turning at night, waking up and falling back asleep, carrying on such pointless dreams as packing endlessly for a holiday (probably a subconscious recognition of how my life is, lots of work being done but getting nowhere). Some nights, it's been a bit of a task, making my appointment with the Sandman. Again, rather unusual for one who's out cold before her head hits the pillow most nights.

Then there's the 101 activities I need to get up early for, even on the weekends. No sleep-ins. Part of getting old is coming to the realisation that sleep takes away your time to get things done. If you wake at noon, more than half your day's gone by the time you've cleaned up and slapped on the makeup, ready to face the world. Plus, when it's the weekend, one's always raring to go! Whatever there is to wake up for! Even classes!

And so, here I am. All worn out. No more energy of youth to keep me going. Even Brand's Essence of Chicken is not quite hitting the spot. Yawn.

Happy Shiny People

You know the spot, between your shoulder blades, just at the base of your neck? The part you just CAN'T reach, as you twist your arm, bend your elbow, arch your back and attempt to knead and accupressure the spot. So you bend your head this way and that, twisting your neck left and right, in hopes of stretching out the kinks in the muscles, thereby relieving the pain that plagues you.

Some time ago, as part of a social activity we could do together and still catch up, a couple of friends and I got a neck and shoulder massage together. The masseurs commented that our muscles were so taut, they suspected we very likely worked as labourers, instead of sitting at desks pushing pen and paper (or tapping rather furiously at our keyboards) all day long. As a parting shot, the masseur who did my back tossed back a nonchalant, "You should be more careful. Your muscles are hardening". WHAT?? What's that supposed to mean???

So, where do YOU hold your hurt, anger, stress, self-doubts, insecurity, and frustration? All those unhappy thoughts?

Blue

You know that old nugget about death and taxes.

Just last week, I had attended a friend's father-in-law's wake. I don't actually know the deceased, mind you. I just came to know of the death because she had called for advice on probate matters, and how to handle the estate. She had come down to Dad's wake three years ago, sitting with me through the shock and disbelief, bringing some light relief to me from the whole proceedings.

Never having been adept at consoling the bereaved, I pulled the only trick I knew out from my bag and ask how the deceased had departed this life. I guess, for women, talking about the incident helps get it out of their system. I'm told men's brains work differently (martyr-mentality, perhaps?)...

As I pointed the car in the direction of the garage this evening, after a long day at work, I got a rude shock. Dad's Beemer, which had been sitting forlornly in the garage for almost three years now, gathering dust and with the tyres going flat, is gone. Finally. Suddenly. Unexpectedly.

I guess I should have realised things would be moving right along, once the Letters of Administration came out. Sure, I went down to the LTA personally to get the scrap value of the car. Sure, I was the one who had faxed the LA and the logcard to the "car scrap guy". Yet somehow, 2+2 didn't quite equal to 4 in my mind, and I just didn't expect the Beemer to be gone without a whole lot of fanfare.

I remember the trouble Dad went to, to get the Beemer that particular shade of blue. The colour of the sky, just before the sun sets over the horizon. Now every time I see a dusky blue Beemer on the street, it reminds me of the last car that Dad drove.

I'd had a vague thought in my mind earlier that I would have to take a picture of the Beemer before it's gone. Too late now.

Sigh. Slowly, a life will be dismantled.

R.I.P. - SBP9334U

Back into the Wild / B&E

Rounded up the troops and we headed for the hills...haha - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

We took the longer, gentler route up the hill, and still ended up panting heavily on our way up. Told M we can feel virtuous tomorrow, when we wake up with our muscles screaming of pain...

The Senapang Road took us through the wooded area, and we came upon some fruit trees. Check out the King of Fruits we found along the way! M assured us we're safe as durians only fall at night...Right...I'll just swiftly scoot through the path the durian tree covers, thank you! Saw rambutans too (not quite Queen of Fruits...). Spotted a fiesty catfish in a small stream, which M believed was merely brimming over with the energy of youth ("Teenagers lah!", she says).



Thought I was in for a quiet night after the hike, but got a rude shock when I finally got a response from an elusive tenant. He'd moved out almost a year, and the agent had neglected to keep us informed!! How unprofessional is THAT?? After calling the agent and giving her an earful, I shovelled dinner down my throat, and headed out to the apartment to do a little investigation. Horrors! The spare key I have to the apartment won't open the door! Hastily contacted a locksmith, and managed to break into the apartment! *whew* Everything's more or less intact. More or less, because everything else was left neat and tidy, and yet, the sofa and dining sets are missing...what the ??? It's not as if those sets were the worth much either! Weird!



Back at home, managed to find people to take all the used furniture off our hands in very short order (more importantly, this is cost-free to us!). Feeling very achieved today...

Now I can get that good night's sleep I deserve after hiking up that bloody hill...