a Journey

I couldn't agree more with the "small world" phenomena.
Not when the person I met in Shanghai, has been neighbours with a friend who's been in my course these past three years.
Not when my brother's doctor is friends with my friend.
Oh.
And the chef of my friend's new cafe is the ex-schoolmate of Shifu, Fir and Justin.
Right.
It's unnerving the way the dots connected themselves on the spot as we started realising that:
hey! the world is really a global village after all. 

Helpied out with an FYP survey in school this week (ended today) which wanted to learn more about Singaporeans' general attitudes towards local politics. It was just a litmus test of sorts to hear what the everyday person living in sunny Singapura had to say. And this are what some people said:

Me: "Sir, all I want is your honest opinion. There is no right or wrong answer."
Person: "There are no suitable candidates in the household"

Me:"Mam, all your answers will be kept private and confidential."
P: "Is there such a thing???"

Me: "Mam, all we're looking for are honest opinons. We're interested in your opinions"
P: "I am not educated. Just because I can speak English doesn't mean I can speak well."
M: "It really makes no difference, your opinons still matter to us."
P: "Why you don't understand?! I already say I don't know anything. Singapore is a very nice country, okie?"

halfway through the survey...
P: "My mother is giving me the black face now. She doesn't want me to answer your questions."
when probed...
the Mother: "My husband is working in the civil service, I don't want to answer this sort of questions."

M: "Mam, don't you want your voice to be heard?"
P: "Tell the relevant authorities that we have a right not to be heard."

...

First of all: This is an academic survey. YOUR private and NON-private numbers were not picked from a telephone list. NO. It was churned out by a COMPUTER who doesn't care if your household is terrorist or not. We won't know anyway. We don't know who you are. That's why we ask for your race, your housing, your income. Not because we want to make the ISA come after you. (You think they have so much time?!) It's for demographic purposes. To categorize ppl to help MAKE SENSE of the data.

Secondly: Even if you had blasphemous political views on what a govt should or should not be:: the survey is 20-odd minutes long. We have to do it for a week. Which part of us student interviewers want to bother to note the record no, of your ONE survey out of the THOUSANDS of numbers we HAVE to call?!

Thirdly: You have a chance to let your voice be heard. It's something you can do for yourself. Instead of shying away. Why don't you be proactive? This is only an academic survey. But hey. Do something for yourself!

Shifu said: "Don't forget to treasure your family."
It was a good thing he said it, because I just might have excused myself mid-way through the monthly family dinner tonight. I was torn between the dinner, the girls, and the bitches. In the end, I chose. Family. And I'm glad I did.

It's easy for us to overlook the ones who're constantly at home when we return, because they are always there. No matter what fast one we pull, or how infuriating we may get -- when the shouting matches are done and over with, we know that we'll usually get our way.

And, for all the "No" we hear, I think it hurts them more to reject us than to give in to us. And yet, they do so because, they're family.

They would give us the moon and the stars if they could. Anything within their means, would be given. They don't do it because they want to spoil us -- although that usually is the end result. They do it because they love us. Because they want to make us happy. Because they want to give us what they deem is best for us.

Mummy, Happy Birthday! :)

I told Greg I ordered apple pie at this french pub, together with the wine we (scratchynails, fen & I) had.
Me: Ooh, the place was lovely. And I ordered apple pie! *grins*
Greg: Apple pie?! That's so American. It's like me going to America and ordering fried rice.

At Cartel with Naidu.
Me: I feel like settling down, y'know. I want some sort of routine with someone.
Naidu: Are you having your period?!

Whilst exploring Ann Siang Hill for a chill-out spot.
Scratchynails: Why the hell didn't they level the ground?
Me: You said you wanted to walk dinner off.
S: But I didn't ask for a cross-country workout.
Fen: It's called Ann Siang Hill. They're not allowed to level a hill in Singapore.