I was so angry that I shouted into the phone
"I REALLY HATE THIS PLACE!"
Apparently some smart ass shifted the immigration service out of the airport and the nearest place I can get my re-entry permit done is at the headquarters in central Bangkok (which is an hour away from the airport). Which country in this world would waive off visa extension fee in the hope of spiking tourist numbers then shift the service away? And guess what, the headquarters is CLOSED on weekends. So I was once again left stranded in Bangkok, unable to leave the country without risking my visa and work permit getting canceled but wanting so badly to get home.
I would like to be back home. I want to be there before she lose her last breath. Maybe it's no longer about getting back and being there for her. Maybe a larger part of me just don't want to be sorry for myself if I can't be part of her passing on. I hate to even think of how different people will be, places will be, things will be and getting back home to realize that things have changed so much when I am away that home is no longer the same home it used to be.
Saturday 21 February 2009
Tuesday 17 February 2009
Present exchange for married couples
My present in Hoops and Yoyo wrapping paper (screaming in a bright hue of V day red). P gave me a huge surprise by placing a 8 cm X 8 cm keychain in a box 3 times its size on the 13th and I spent the next 6 hours killing myself trying to guess what is hiding beneath the wrapping paper.
I cannot recall when this whole guessing game started but we have this practice of exchanging presents on the eve of any occasion (so that we can spend half a day guessing then rip the wrapping paper like a hungry tiger when the clock strikes 12). Seriously, given the size of the box, I thought it must be psp/ipod/iphone alike. But come to think of it, when you are married and you share finances like us, maybe it wouldn't be a nice surprise if you are given some exorbitant presents that you know would bleed your bank account. So when I unwrapped the present hungrily, I was both surprised and amazed. I lost my keychain recently and I have to rummage through my huge bag for the house keys with much frustration almost every other day. Receiving P's V day present for me this year felt somewhat different. It wasn't anything close to being luxurious but it was a clear indication that we have taken our r/s a step further.
I cannot recall when this whole guessing game started but we have this practice of exchanging presents on the eve of any occasion (so that we can spend half a day guessing then rip the wrapping paper like a hungry tiger when the clock strikes 12). Seriously, given the size of the box, I thought it must be psp/ipod/iphone alike. But come to think of it, when you are married and you share finances like us, maybe it wouldn't be a nice surprise if you are given some exorbitant presents that you know would bleed your bank account. So when I unwrapped the present hungrily, I was both surprised and amazed. I lost my keychain recently and I have to rummage through my huge bag for the house keys with much frustration almost every other day. Receiving P's V day present for me this year felt somewhat different. It wasn't anything close to being luxurious but it was a clear indication that we have taken our r/s a step further.
Sunday 15 February 2009
1 or more?
P and I never seriously sat down to discuss in details about our plan for bb but we kinda have a common consensus that the time is yet. I pride myself as someone who is organized and loves schedules by nature but my apprehension for this Big B plan has been sending a different signal to my brain.
And yesterday, after a sumptuous V-day dinner, P and I got home, continued Monster mashing (which is very addictive!) then sat down for our daily dosage of Simpsons (which is on our "now playing" list since we have either exhausted or caught up with the latest televised episode of GG/Supernatural/LWord/Heroes).
At the scene that Bart and Marge were fishing by the river, P turned to me and asked a hypothetical question, i.e. if we have 2 kids what gender would I prefer.
Seriously, I have no preference. In fact, I would very much just have 1 kid. Tonnes including P, my mum, friends etc. have discussed against having just 1 kid. The most ridiculous reasoning I have ever heard was "having more kids means less chances of disappointment". This meaning if one kid fails to meet your expectations, you always have a second child to place your bet on.
How sad is this.
And yesterday, after a sumptuous V-day dinner, P and I got home, continued Monster mashing (which is very addictive!) then sat down for our daily dosage of Simpsons (which is on our "now playing" list since we have either exhausted or caught up with the latest televised episode of GG/Supernatural/LWord/Heroes).
At the scene that Bart and Marge were fishing by the river, P turned to me and asked a hypothetical question, i.e. if we have 2 kids what gender would I prefer.
Seriously, I have no preference. In fact, I would very much just have 1 kid. Tonnes including P, my mum, friends etc. have discussed against having just 1 kid. The most ridiculous reasoning I have ever heard was "having more kids means less chances of disappointment". This meaning if one kid fails to meet your expectations, you always have a second child to place your bet on.
How sad is this.
Friday 13 February 2009
Thursday 12 February 2009
Welcoming changes in your life
Rested for 4 days straight (weekend, public holiday then a day off on Tuesday), came back to work yesterday, went for a field trip this morning and the next thing you know, FRIDAY is arriving!!!
It would be totally awesome if this arrangement is permanent.
We had a very interesting visit to a local market this morning which supposedly wrapped up our class for this level. Mdm was under the false impression that the instructors would be giving a guided tour but was shocked to find us being dropped at the market then told to discover (roam) the place. When I got down from the bus, I was standing right next to Howard and we were chatting up when the class was busying themselves phototaking. And the next thing you know, everyone went on their separate ways, kindda disappeared, and I was there with Howard. So for the next hour or so, I had this 62-year-old American man who loves Cantonese food by my side, introducing me to all kinds of Thai vegetables/food/fruit.
Retirees like Howard never fails to amaze me. Howard's married but is here all alone. His wife is passionate about work and refuses to retire (and therefore still lives in America) while Howard travels to Chiang Mai a couple of times a year, staying up to 3 months per visit. He bought his place here, learns the language, enjoys the food, the culture and the simple way of life.
Retiring away from home and exposing oneself to a totally different culture and living environment. Exactly how many of us are willing to welcome such changes in life without being sceptical about it?
It would be totally awesome if this arrangement is permanent.
We had a very interesting visit to a local market this morning which supposedly wrapped up our class for this level. Mdm was under the false impression that the instructors would be giving a guided tour but was shocked to find us being dropped at the market then told to discover (roam) the place. When I got down from the bus, I was standing right next to Howard and we were chatting up when the class was busying themselves phototaking. And the next thing you know, everyone went on their separate ways, kindda disappeared, and I was there with Howard. So for the next hour or so, I had this 62-year-old American man who loves Cantonese food by my side, introducing me to all kinds of Thai vegetables/food/fruit.
Retirees like Howard never fails to amaze me. Howard's married but is here all alone. His wife is passionate about work and refuses to retire (and therefore still lives in America) while Howard travels to Chiang Mai a couple of times a year, staying up to 3 months per visit. He bought his place here, learns the language, enjoys the food, the culture and the simple way of life.
Retiring away from home and exposing oneself to a totally different culture and living environment. Exactly how many of us are willing to welcome such changes in life without being sceptical about it?
Tuesday 10 February 2009
Saturday 7 February 2009
Monologues and everyday living of married couples
P had been busying himself with fixing his dying laptop for the past few days. Since multitasking is not in guys' dictionary (and especially P), he had been substantially distracted and his default replies to my intentional / unintentional attempts to interact were "hmms" , "ahs" and "yas".
Mdm is getting better at monologues.
Mdm is getting better at monologues.
Thursday 5 February 2009
Exactly how big is US$1 trillion?
From Todayonline
EXACTLY HOW BIG IS US$1 TRILLION?
UNITED States senators battling a nearly US$1-trillion(S$1.5-trillion) economic stimulus plan are striving to find vivid ways to explain just how big the amount of money really is.
Republican Senator John Thune said one could ring the Equator 38.9 times with US$100 bills stretched side by side, while Senate Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell said that if one started spending US$1 million daily from the day Jesus was born, he still would not have spent US$1 trillion.
– AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
OMG
Here's mine:
Since one trillion is one thousand times one billion (American system) and according to Wiki, the world's population is estimated to be about 6.75 billion as of February 2009, 1 trillion means handing out approximately US$150 to every single human being on earth.
INCREDIBLE.
EXACTLY HOW BIG IS US$1 TRILLION?
UNITED States senators battling a nearly US$1-trillion(S$1.5-trillion) economic stimulus plan are striving to find vivid ways to explain just how big the amount of money really is.
Republican Senator John Thune said one could ring the Equator 38.9 times with US$100 bills stretched side by side, while Senate Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell said that if one started spending US$1 million daily from the day Jesus was born, he still would not have spent US$1 trillion.
– AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
OMG
Here's mine:
Since one trillion is one thousand times one billion (American system) and according to Wiki, the world's population is estimated to be about 6.75 billion as of February 2009, 1 trillion means handing out approximately US$150 to every single human being on earth.
INCREDIBLE.
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Shane is hot
If you are into lesbian sex, you wouldn't want to miss The L word.
I am not (I think) but I am going ga-ga over it and I am super duper in love with Katherine Moennig a.k.a. Shane the female Chuck.
We are currently at S5E5, meaning we are left with only 15 episodes (P must be incredibly pleased b/c I have been refusing to watch anything else).
I am not (I think) but I am going ga-ga over it and I am super duper in love with Katherine Moennig a.k.a. Shane the female Chuck.
We are currently at S5E5, meaning we are left with only 15 episodes (P must be incredibly pleased b/c I have been refusing to watch anything else).
Sunday 1 February 2009
Wrapping up
Mdm tried painting MM's favourite (i.e. the Blythe doll) on Saturday. It was super duper hard b/c Bly has this incredibly flat face and I don't quite like how it turned out. P was right that the green looked wrong.
We had an uneventful Sunday as my folks dig in on the 7th day of Chinese New Year a.k.a 人日. Mdm would be having my first test for Thai III next week and then my class would wrap up for this level. Mdm can now read and write in Thai! Thai is very much like English (i.e. phonetic based) so if you have a huge memory space, it won't be hard for you to read and pronounce the word correctly (although understanding what you are reading is a totally different story). I am now trying to expand my vocabulary bank by first drawing up a daily revision program for myself. I am so lazy once I get back home from work!
By the way, M.O.S. Pump It Up Aeroburn is a killer. I tried it consecutively for 5 days (and I had to stop running on the treadmill b/c I simply don't have the energy to do that after doing the video exercise for an hour) and on the fifth day I kinda lasted only for 45 mins before I surrendered. But then again, I feel my abs are here again!
We had an uneventful Sunday as my folks dig in on the 7th day of Chinese New Year a.k.a 人日. Mdm would be having my first test for Thai III next week and then my class would wrap up for this level. Mdm can now read and write in Thai! Thai is very much like English (i.e. phonetic based) so if you have a huge memory space, it won't be hard for you to read and pronounce the word correctly (although understanding what you are reading is a totally different story). I am now trying to expand my vocabulary bank by first drawing up a daily revision program for myself. I am so lazy once I get back home from work!
By the way, M.O.S. Pump It Up Aeroburn is a killer. I tried it consecutively for 5 days (and I had to stop running on the treadmill b/c I simply don't have the energy to do that after doing the video exercise for an hour) and on the fifth day I kinda lasted only for 45 mins before I surrendered. But then again, I feel my abs are here again!
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