Walk For Sight '09

I woke up really early on Sunday (which I don't normally do) to participate in the Walk For Sight 2009, a charity walk aimed to raise funds for St. Nicholas Home, and had an eye-opening experience. Participants were asked to partner up; where one will be blindfolded and the other will guide throughout the walk. Soo Huey was my partner and we decided to take turns to be blindfolded (though I think she ended up walking more of the 2.3km blindfolded :P)

We had a great time and a good laugh when we tried to overtake 'slower' participants, or tried to inform the blindfolded partner a turn is coming up, or to slow down or to 'emergency stop' when people in front slowed down/stopped. We might have laughed it off on the spot but looking back, it actually created an awareness of the importance of one's eyesight and also the responsibilities of a guide.

As the guide:
It was my first time guiding and I must say I wasn't attentive enough at times. SHuey bumped into a couple who made a sudden stop and I almost led her near uneven pavements :P Other than that I guess we had a pretty smooth walk, so smooth in fact she totally just followed my lead till she needed time to recognize her surroundings and regain her bearings when it was time to change roles XD. I told her to take her time coz I dared not let the blindfolded me follow a blur guide!

As the guided:
Blindfolded was pretty scary. You just had to hold on to your guide and put your entire trust on him/her to guide you safely with traffic passing right next to you! Also when your guide suddenly quickened his/her pace, you'll be startled - at least I was, or when you felt he/she moving left then right then left then right as if she was avoiding obstacles (She was overtaking people actually). And it didn't help especially when your guide didn't explain much :P I had to ask her..why so fast? what noise is that? where are we? how far more to go? LOL. Also to the blindfolded it felt like walking along a straight road all the way although in actual we went through a few turnings.

Although it was just a short walk with minimal obstacles, a few stepped and be stepped on the heel moments, and a smooth route (no steep climb, no uneven grounds), all in all it was an out-of-the-ordinary Sunday morning for me and an interesting way of creating awareness and appreciation. Plus a yummy dim sum to end ;)

Belated Love

A week of reminiscence and pondering, what with all the news of ppl's passings. Are we all in need of a shower of rain to clear the haze clouding our lives, both figuratively and literally speaking? The infectious melody and the meaningful lyrics from Leo Ku's Ngoi Tak Tai Chi sums it all up...

我過去　那死黨　早晚共對　各也紮職以後沒法暢聚
ngo guo hui / na sei dong / jo maan gung dui / gook ya jat jik yi hau moot fat cheung joi
I used to spend day and night with my buddies but ever since we got jobs, we spend less time now

而終於　相約到　但無言共對　疏淡如水
yi jung yue / xiong yeuk do / dan mo yin gung dui / soh tam yu sui
When we finally met, we have nothing to say, its as dull as water

日夜做　見爸爸　剛好想呻　卻霎眼看出他多了皺紋
yat yeh jo / kin pa pa / gong hou xiong san / keok saap ngan hon chut ta do liu jao man
Working day and night, met papa, just want to complain, in a blink I realize his wrinkles have increased

而他的蒼老感　是從來未覺　太內疚擔心
yi ta dik chong lo gam / si chong loi mei gok / tai noi gau dam sam
Also never realize how much he has aged. Very guilty and worried

最心痛是　愛得太遲　有些心意　不可等某個日子
jui sam tong si / ngoi dak tai chi / yau se sam yi / bat ho dang mao go yat ji
What hurts most is to love too late. There are certain things that shouldn't wait.

盲目地發奮　忙忙忙其實自私
mang mok dei fat fan / mong mong mong kei sat ji si
Working hard is more due to selfishness

夢中也習慣　有壓力要我得志
mong zhong ya jap gwan / yau ngak lik yiu ngoh dak ji
Even in my dreams I'm used to being pressured to do better

最可怕是　愛需要及時　只差一秒　心聲都已變歷史
jui ho pa si / ngoi sui yiu kap si / zi cha yat miu / sam seng dou yi bin lik si
The scariest thing is, love has to be in time. A second missed and feelings will become history

忙極亦放肆　見我愛見的相知
mong gik yik fong si / kin ngoh oi kin dik xiong ji
To find time in my busy schedule to meet the ones I love

要抱要吻要怎麼也好　偏要推說等下一次
yiu poh yiu man yiu zham moh ya ho / pin yiu tui suet dang ha yat chi
To hold, to kiss, to do whatever, but I always push to the next time

我也覺　我體質　彷似下降　看了症得到是別要太忙
ngoh ya gok / ngoh tai jat / fong chi ha gong / hon liu jing dak dou si bit yiu tai mong
My body is not as fit as it used to be. After seeing the doctor, I'm told to relax.

而影碟　都掃光　但從來未看　因有事趕
yi ying pin / dou sou guong / dan chong loi mei hon / yan yau si gon
Having bought all the DVDs I haven't watched a single one because I was busy.

日夜做　儲的錢　都應該夠　到聖誕正好講跟我白頭
yat ye jou / chou dik chin / dou ying goi gau / do sing dan jing ho gong gan ngoh bak tau
Working day and night the money saved should be enough to tell her to marry me during Christmas

誰知她開了口　未能挨下去　已恨我很久
sui ji ta hoi liu hau / mei nang ngai ha hui / yi han ngoh han gao
Who knows that she told me first she couldn't stand it any longer. She hated me for quite some time

錯失太易　愛得太遲　我怎想到　她忍不到那日子
choh sat tai yi / ngoi dak tai chi / ngoh zham xiong dou / ta yan bat dou na yat zi
Its too easy to lose when you love too late. How could I have thought she couldn't tolerate till that day

盲目地發奮　忙忙忙從來未知
mang muk dei fat fan / mong mong mong chong loi mei ji
Working blindly always busy never bothered to know

幸福會掠過　再也沒法說鍾意
hang fook wui leuk gwoh / joi ya moot faat suet jong yi
Happiness can pass by me. No chance to say I love you.

愛一個字　也需要及時　只差一秒　心聲都已變歷史
ngoi yat guo ji / ya sui yiu kap si / ji cha yat miu / sam sing dou yi bin lik si
Even though love is only one word, it still has to be in time. Even missing by one second, feelings can become history

為何未放肆　見我愛見的相知
wai ho mei fong si / kin ngoh oi kin dik xiong ji
Why didn't I make the effort to see the ones I love

要抱要吻要怎麼也好　不要相信一切有下次
yiu po yiu man yiu zham moh yah ho / bat yiu xiong sun yat chai yau ha chi
To hold, to kiss to do whatever. I don't want to believe there's always a next time

相擁我所愛又花幾多秒 這幾秒　能夠做到又有多少
seung yung ngoh suo oi yau fa gei do miu / je gei miu / nang gao jou dou ya yao doh siu
How many seconds do I need to embrace love. And how much can I do in those few seconds

未算少　足夠遺憾忘掉
mei suen siu / juk gao wai ham mong diu
Its not too little. Its enough to forget regret

多少抱憾　多少過路人　太懂估計　卻不懂愛錫自身
doh siu poh ham / doh siu guo lo yan / tai dong goo gai / keok bat dong ngoi sek ji san
How many regrets? How many passers by? Know how to estimate too well but do not know how to love oneself

人人在發奮　想起他朝都興奮
yan yan joi fat fan / xiong hei ta chiu do hing fan
Everyone's working hard. Excited by the future.

但今晚未過　你要過也很吸引
dan kam man mei guo / nei yiu guo ya han kap yan
But the night is not over. Still interesting for you to go through

縱不信運　你不過是人　理想很遠　愛於咫尺卻在等
jung bat sun wan / nei bat guo si yan / lei xiong han yuen / oi yue chi chek kuek joi dang
Even if you don't believe in fate, you're still human. Your goals are afar, love is just here yet you are waiting

來日別操心　趁你有能力開心
loi yat bit cho sam / chan nei yau nang lik hoi sam
Don't worry about the future. While still possible to be happy

世界有太多東西發生　不要等到天上俯瞰
sai gai yau tai doh dong sai fat sang / bat yiu dang doh tin xiong foo ham
There's too many things happening in the world. Don't have to wait till you're looking down from the heavens

Robot Boy

I have always enjoyed Tim Burton's works. Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, The Nightmare before Christmas, Sweeney Todd just to name a few. And now he has a new book where he "gives birth to a cast of gruesomely sympathetic children: misunderstood outcasts who struggle to find love and belonging in their cruel, cruel worlds."

Titled The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories, it contains 23 twisted poem-like stories with colorful illustrations that really help bring the characters to life. It is rather enjoyable albeit slightly creepy and demented at times. It'll make you gasp in amazement, laugh out loud or shake your head in disbelief at the creativity that is Tim Burton.

I particularly like this one about Robot Boy. Thumbs-up to the words used and the ryhming. And when I googled about Robot Boy, they actually make figurines of the characters for those collectors..cool!

Robot Boy

Mr. and Mrs. Smith had a wonderful life.
They were a normal, happy husband and wife.
One day they got the news that made Mr. Smith glad.
Mrs. Smith would be a mom,
which would make him the dad!
But something was wrong with their bundle of joy.
It wasn't human at all,
it was a robot boy!
He wasn't warm and cuddly
and he didn't have skin.
Instead, there was a cold, thin layer of tin.
There were wires and tubes sticking out of his head.
He just lay there and stared,
not living or dead.
The only time he seemed alive at all
was with a long extension cord
plugged into the wall.

Mr. Smith yelled at the doctor,
"What have you done to my boy?
He's not flesh and blood,
he's aluminum alloy!"

The doctor said gently,
"What I'm going to say
will sound pretty wild.
But you're not the father
of this strange-looking child.
You see, there still is some question
about the child's gender,
but we think that it's father
is a microwave blender."

The Smiths' lives were now filled
with misery and strife.
Mrs. Smith hated her husband,
and he hated his wife.
He never forgave her unholy alliance:
a sexual encounter
with a kitchen appliance.


And Robot Boy
grew to be a young man.

Though he was often mistaken
for a garbage can.

My Rating:

Time REALLY is soft there...

If you've read my review on Books, Baguettes & Bedbugs, you would know how I long to be there in person someday. And I'm so glad to say "I've been there, done that!"

The cover of the book & the actual place itself

Though I din get the chance to stay there for a week or two (I'm not sure if its still being practised to this day!) but it was an eye opener to actually step into the bookshop, to feel what it must had been like for the writer to have lived and worked there.

One of the many beds that can still be found in the bookshop. Not sure if they are being occupied at nite...

And to have the magnificent Notre Dame just across the street separated only by the great River Seine. What more can one ask for?

Anyway I couldn't resist buying a book or two..all the way there I needed sth more than just memories to take home, right? But the most important of all was not the purchase instead it was the bookstore stamp I was craving for. For for every book that is purchased from the store, it will be stamped on the inside cover with the one and only Shakespeare & Co stamp.

Books & Stamp (oh and pix taken with 5800, not too bad eh?)

I guess it's like the mastercard advert:

Flight to Paris, etc --> 2k euros

Books --> 20 euros

Shakespeare & Co stamp --> Priceless

Kiwi Sunday

On a hot Sunday afternoon, what better than a soothing blend of kiwi, apple and grapes to relax and unwind :)

What You Need:

(Serves 2)

• 1 kiwi fruit
• 1 apple
• 115g seedless white grapes

What To Do:

1. Process or blend the kiwi fruit and apple, then the grapes.
2. Pour into glasses and serve just as it is, or pour over ice.

P/S: Plus green fruits are rich in fiber, folic acid, lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. It helps protect you from cancer and high level of bad cholesterol, regulate digestion and improve immune system functioning.

Happy Sunday!

MCP

Flyfm listeners, did you hear the FixIt today? I din catch the actual conversation until the replay in the evening. For those non-followers, Flyfm has this section every morning where ppl call in and the DJs try to "fix" their problems, hence the name FixIt. Anyway this morning's prob kinda created a buzz since it hit the basic of problems - genders.

Anyway here's how the story goes. Josephine called in to complain abt her colleague, Timothy for gender discrimination. They both worked in an advertising company and they have this Sports brand project to work on. As a team, they were supposed to be brainstorming together and so J provided her ideas when T told her that they will not be using any of hers. Instead he asked her to sit out of the meeting. Reason being she is a girly girl whom he assumed would not have any idea what sports were. Even if she did, it'd be limited to those hot hunks aka the beckhams, the kakas, etc. While on the other hand, T had been involved in sports since young; he played sports, he watched sports; basically everything sports.

J of course was furious but the entire team were guys except her and they obviously agreed with T. Worse, she escalated to a male boss who just ask her to forget about it, maybe T really did know more when it came to sports. So she resorted to calling a radio station and confront T. T could not believed she took it to such an extend but stated his points - she being a girly girl was not suitable to handle this project.

"You can take all the biscuits, cookies adverts you want but just leave the sports project to the guys"

J gave T back an example, if it was a fashion brand project, did that mean she can leave T out? Hah.. but T said "I will let you handle BUT I will give my inputs". Hey hey, then shouldn't they allow her to give her inputs as well when it comes to a sports advert instead of not getting to participate at all?? Where's the fairness in that? So in the end the DJs asked her what she wanted and she said all she wanted was an apology.

"Apologize for what, apologize for you being dumb?"

Yup, that was T's reply. The DJs then said they can settle this between themselves later on but at least they felt T did owe her an apology. Come on, you can't call ppl dumb on air, right? So T reiterated that he couldn't believed J took it to such an extend but ok fine, "Sorry, whatever" and hung up!

So what do you think? Well, J may not know all things abt sports but there's such things as research and teamwork. Just because she is a girl does not mean she can't handle the project. [And when one DJ said not all guys follows every sports, the DJ himself only watches synchronized swimming..oh but T thinks its ok becoz synchronized swimming IS also a sport..*duh] Obviously the guy has some issues with girl+sports. And honestly some girls are into sports too. Otherwise there wouldn't be such a word as SPORTSWOMEN around now, would it?

I wonder if secretly that's the truth :)