Good news. A japanese girl asked to share table with me during lunch.
Better news. She asked the question in japanese.
what a good start to a week. :)
20.8.07
19.8.07
In one afternoon, I read all the past entries on my friend's blog, digesting his words for the second time thus far. Reading his blog always managed to set me thinking and deluding myself that I'm one step closer to becoming a philosopher. Sadly, it would never happen, as I'm too caught up in the rat race. Thanks to my good education and a slap in the face by Meritocracy, I'm more interested in solving problem than pensive thinking; which is no longer second nature to me. Education has killed a part of me which I am determined to revive.
I think I ought to put my very good brain into better use.
I think I ought to put my very good brain into better use.
madame
Madame likes to talk about politics and she hates to have her photo taken. Yesterday madame and i had sat on the bench and we chatted for nearly 2 hours under the clear blue sky. we talk about Singapore, France, the nice weather, unemployment in France, George Bush, our families and nearly everything under the sun literally and figuratively( cos its was practically a cloudless day).
Insightful and encouraging, she had made me realised how shallow I am. she kindly corrected my french as we exchanged our life stories. I was told that philosophy is a compulsory modules in french education. She talked about Socrates and Plato like as if she has known then for years. I can only give my 2 cents worth which I believed she had already known only that she hasn't gone about telling me about it yet. From the star of David around her neck, I guessed that she's Jewish and she went on to tell me about her experience during the second world war. Her stories about how she had gone to the United States and how she wished her American granddaughter would pick up French so as to not forget her roots.
When it was my turn to share about my life, I wondered about how my mere 20 years of existence would actually interest her. I had no life lessons to pass to her, no interesting stories to share and worst of all not enough french vocabulary to adequately express my feelings and opinions. I told her about my school years (which is nearly all my lives), my friends, my interests, national service in Singapore, constellations and the stories behind them and how to use the Orion's Belt to identify the other constellations. She sat and listened attentively.
When we were about to part, she held my hand and wished me bonne chance. I thanked her and bided her farewell. I realised old people want others to talk to them. I walked away, turning back once to wave at her, I wondered if I would meet the madame again. If I do meet her again I'll ask for her name.
The moment she held my hands, I felt i was being appreciated.
Insightful and encouraging, she had made me realised how shallow I am. she kindly corrected my french as we exchanged our life stories. I was told that philosophy is a compulsory modules in french education. She talked about Socrates and Plato like as if she has known then for years. I can only give my 2 cents worth which I believed she had already known only that she hasn't gone about telling me about it yet. From the star of David around her neck, I guessed that she's Jewish and she went on to tell me about her experience during the second world war. Her stories about how she had gone to the United States and how she wished her American granddaughter would pick up French so as to not forget her roots.
When it was my turn to share about my life, I wondered about how my mere 20 years of existence would actually interest her. I had no life lessons to pass to her, no interesting stories to share and worst of all not enough french vocabulary to adequately express my feelings and opinions. I told her about my school years (which is nearly all my lives), my friends, my interests, national service in Singapore, constellations and the stories behind them and how to use the Orion's Belt to identify the other constellations. She sat and listened attentively.
When we were about to part, she held my hand and wished me bonne chance. I thanked her and bided her farewell. I realised old people want others to talk to them. I walked away, turning back once to wave at her, I wondered if I would meet the madame again. If I do meet her again I'll ask for her name.
The moment she held my hands, I felt i was being appreciated.
itch
happy is not a feeling. it is a pespective of life.
and feeling happy is just the result of the perspective.
I had believed so until you guys introduced me to mahjong...
sometimes gambling leads to happiness too... :)
damn. my hands are itching..
and feeling happy is just the result of the perspective.
I had believed so until you guys introduced me to mahjong...
sometimes gambling leads to happiness too... :)damn. my hands are itching..
17.8.07
a small step for me
"Hey i need some help in the kitchen.",she chirped. I was in the midst of a very intense battle. Peeling my eyes momentarily from the flickering screen, i turned my head only to find myself looking directly into her innocently green eyes. she dropped her gaze, gave me a sheepish grin and continued, "We dunno how to prepare dinner."
Dinner was pizza. The hardest step involved in preparing a ready-made frozen pizza for dinner is the turning of the knob on the oven. I paused my game and followed my russian housemate to the kitchen. Clinically, i warmed the oven, tore open the wrapping of the pizza, wrapped the tray in aluminum; shove the pizza into the oven. Being the only one who knows how to operate the oven, i'm probably the best cook in the house.
Since dinner would be served shortly, i hurriedly ended my game and make my way back to the kitchen. Wielding a knife and standing square to the pizza, my japanese housemate looked totally like a samurai. The way i see her handle the knives makes me worried about my own safety. The defenseless pizza seemed in a safer where it was lying motionless on the table than me who was standing just outside the door. i inched cautiously towards the cabinet as she continued to frighten the pizza with her stare. I pulled open the drawer and found what i was looking for..
"Here. Use the pizza roller.", i said.
She took hold of it and rolled the roller over the pizza. The pizza was sliced cleanly into two and a smile broke out of her face. she must have felt like a surgeon.
Over dinner, the american was a one man talk show. Beside the inconspicuous mexican ate silently and left without anyone noticing. I looked up from my food to notice that the russian was munching on an apple. "Is that enough for you?" "Yup. I dun want to grow fat in France."The brazilian girl beside me seems to share the same sentiments, as she focus on picking up the green peas and munching the salad. Seemed like dieting is a worldwide female problem. The spread of turkey and pizza seems to be invisible to them. This fact sink in well with me as I each for my third helping of pizza feeling happy that their dieting decision actually complements my weight gain program.
Today, the dinner conversation topic was tongue twister. We each gave a version of a tongue twister in our native language...
四是四,
十是十,
十四是十四,
四十是四十,
四十四是四十四,
四十四隻石獅子是死的
This was a piece of cake, but it sent everyone rolling in laughter. I was mildly irritated and not sure if I should be amused too. why do people laugh at things that they do not understand? They think that chinese language is incredible - incredibly funny. This seems to act as a catalyst instigating the american to launch a conversation which makes fun of chinese inability to speak fluent french. In his heavy boston accent, he blamed them for everything form global warming to his sore throat. The other students happily gave their two cents worth. Pausing for a drink, he turned to me and said,"It's alright for me to say all these if front of you right? since you are Singaporean..."
imbecile.
"Of cos it is not alright. I have family and friends who are chinese. You don't see me laughing at people who can't speak english without an accent, do you?", I replied. I had indirectly issued a myenglishisbetterthanyours challenge.
"Sorry", he muttered. Immediately, the dining table was enveloped by an awkward silenced like as if some unspoken death sentence had been passed. He was not the criminal; instead it was I who was condemned.
Too bad the dinner had to end this way.
Dinner was pizza. The hardest step involved in preparing a ready-made frozen pizza for dinner is the turning of the knob on the oven. I paused my game and followed my russian housemate to the kitchen. Clinically, i warmed the oven, tore open the wrapping of the pizza, wrapped the tray in aluminum; shove the pizza into the oven. Being the only one who knows how to operate the oven, i'm probably the best cook in the house.
Since dinner would be served shortly, i hurriedly ended my game and make my way back to the kitchen. Wielding a knife and standing square to the pizza, my japanese housemate looked totally like a samurai. The way i see her handle the knives makes me worried about my own safety. The defenseless pizza seemed in a safer where it was lying motionless on the table than me who was standing just outside the door. i inched cautiously towards the cabinet as she continued to frighten the pizza with her stare. I pulled open the drawer and found what i was looking for..
"Here. Use the pizza roller.", i said.
She took hold of it and rolled the roller over the pizza. The pizza was sliced cleanly into two and a smile broke out of her face. she must have felt like a surgeon.
Over dinner, the american was a one man talk show. Beside the inconspicuous mexican ate silently and left without anyone noticing. I looked up from my food to notice that the russian was munching on an apple. "Is that enough for you?" "Yup. I dun want to grow fat in France."The brazilian girl beside me seems to share the same sentiments, as she focus on picking up the green peas and munching the salad. Seemed like dieting is a worldwide female problem. The spread of turkey and pizza seems to be invisible to them. This fact sink in well with me as I each for my third helping of pizza feeling happy that their dieting decision actually complements my weight gain program.
Today, the dinner conversation topic was tongue twister. We each gave a version of a tongue twister in our native language...
四是四,
十是十,
十四是十四,
四十是四十,
四十四是四十四,
四十四隻石獅子是死的
This was a piece of cake, but it sent everyone rolling in laughter. I was mildly irritated and not sure if I should be amused too. why do people laugh at things that they do not understand? They think that chinese language is incredible - incredibly funny. This seems to act as a catalyst instigating the american to launch a conversation which makes fun of chinese inability to speak fluent french. In his heavy boston accent, he blamed them for everything form global warming to his sore throat. The other students happily gave their two cents worth. Pausing for a drink, he turned to me and said,"It's alright for me to say all these if front of you right? since you are Singaporean..."
imbecile.
"Of cos it is not alright. I have family and friends who are chinese. You don't see me laughing at people who can't speak english without an accent, do you?", I replied. I had indirectly issued a myenglishisbetterthanyours challenge.
"Sorry", he muttered. Immediately, the dining table was enveloped by an awkward silenced like as if some unspoken death sentence had been passed. He was not the criminal; instead it was I who was condemned.
Too bad the dinner had to end this way.
16.8.07
music
Yesterday night, we had to choose between hanging around and breathing in deleterious caseinogens in a smoke filled bar or freezing to death outside the bar. We chose the latter. We had gone to the bar with the intention of just hanging out and talking. When we left, we were greeted by a resounding symphony. Across the road, an orchestra was performing in the cold to warm the hearts of the hundred who had gathered around the pavilion, most of whom were elderly. We found ourselves a nice spot where we could watch the performance and hide from the wind at the same time.
I think perhaps Singaporeans could learn a little lesson from this if we want our art scene to take flight. Public performances should be a people's initiative. In France, music is a already way of life. When i get back, I'm gg to pick up my guitar and perform in Orchard.
I just gg to give a priceless performance. so no coins please.
haha.
I think perhaps Singaporeans could learn a little lesson from this if we want our art scene to take flight. Public performances should be a people's initiative. In France, music is a already way of life. When i get back, I'm gg to pick up my guitar and perform in Orchard. A concert ticket - $150
A guitar - $100
The expeience of smashing a guitar - priceless
I just gg to give a priceless performance. so no coins please.
haha.
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