The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Read if you wanna weep

Pi

I've watched the movie but I still would like to read the book as I had wanted to see if I would feel any differently about Richard Parker. No, I still don't feel any differently from what I originally feel. Perhaps I am not as emotional as Pi. I don't think I will cry over somebody who would leave me unceremoniously, coldly, and heartlessly. I would be glad that the person left. Regardless what kind of hardship or bonding we might have been through together, if the relationship is not mutual, there is nothing for me to feel, there is no love lost, and I wouldn't even shed a tear. It's real. Perhaps I am borderline psycho but there is nothing wrong not loving someone who doesn't love you back. This, by far, is my strongest trait. 

The book, is philosophical. 

There will be many circumstances where we have to work with the figurative "Tiger" in our lives. However, not all circumstances in our lives are that dire, where we need to keep a "Tiger" alive for the sake of our own sanity or survival. I suppose some relationships or work-place may feel like that and if you really find yourself in a stressful situation like Pi, then perhaps you can learn a trick or two from his cast-away survival story. (not a real life event but figuratively, it happens)

Lost and Found Peace

Actually, this Marie Kondo's tidying concept is nothing new. 

We have learnt this in Reiki 20 years ago. (OMG......1999)

I had totally crashed the philosophy of tidying up and my house is not in an ideal condition for many years now. This is not just because I had no time, but also because my in-laws had double-handedly destroyed my home. Nevertheless, that phase has passed and it is time to live my life again. Resurrection. 

The other time when I practised tidying and decluttering, I threw away an old camera that was not working anymore. However, that lives to be a regret. Even though I had said my thanks and blah blah stuff to that camera, I still feel very sad to have thrown it away. There were too many memories attached to it. I shouldn't have taken decluttering so darn seriously. It didn't even take up any space. 

I am thinking to find another similar camera to replace the regret I feel, but I don't think I will be able to find something close to that. Furthermore, now we all use our mobile phone to take pictures, hardly will we carry an extra camera with us, charger, cables and all that jazz. 

I want to reconcile my regret, so this is a work-in-progress. I will look into this after I'm done with the first phase of decluttering my home now. 

Nonetheless, Marie Kondo's philosophy is not forcing people to discard their stuff. 

It is about valuing the things we use and letting go of things that have been spent or not in use. 

I used to feel overwhelmed by my untidy and messy home but I no longer feel that way now. 

I have gained a certain form of calmness and certainty that I am able to clean up my house. 

In fact, I am so at ease that I am very glad to have found this inner peace again. 

It is not that the task has been done, I think I will need three months just to give stuff away. 

But the certainty comes from a sense that my inner peace is in order. 

I have not felt like this for a long time. 

And then I think that generally, this shift in my outlook can be applied in many areas of my life. 

(Work, Kids, general worries, Relationships)

Given that I am easily prone to anxiety, I think this shift will bring me much comfort. 

Bye bye cutie dipper truck.
It beeps like a real truck, it moves forward and also reverses.
It is still working fine despite the masking tapes on its wheels. Colin went through a "masking tape phase" where he taped any toy he was playing with.

Scooter kicked to the library and boy...... my thigh hurt.....
Aging is a real thing.

We will assess a bruise, a cut or a serious gash and get appropriate treatment but we mostly dismiss emotional hurt, thinking they will not cause much harm. But some hurt doesn't just go away by itself, in fact, if you try to recall very embarrassing moments of yesteryears, you might still cringe over it.

January 2019

Not sure what this book is about but shall read to find out. 
Heard it's funny. (?)

14,568 days to being old, what are your plans for today?

For me, today, I chose an Organization to support throughout 2019.
Sight to Sky, you can read up about them, they are a team of medical & non-medical volunteers bring Eye-care to places hard to reach. 

Made reminders in my calendar so that when the reminders pop up, I would act. I suppose you can choose to make a one-time donation, scheduled, or long term. It's entirely up to you. 

Always have an overview.

Always have an overview.
No one aspect is the absolute thing, so don't keep harping on one thing.
When you can see a bigger picture, you can then expand yourself.

I do feel that more and more people are becoming more open and aware of a people who may not averagely fit into social norms. As to whether they embrace them as friends or not, I don't think it is that important. People who are deemed 'weird' usually are perfectly fine by themselves. The real issue here is the presumptuous people that think they want to "help" those weird people or cure them of their social inapt. 

No more coffee

BF with Sis.
Been busy but we ought to meet monthly.

Slowly learning to swim.
Patience & courage = success.
Of course it also takes money & love.

 Honestly...... no more coffee on Sunday ya?

 Recess

Friyay!

Beyond Grades

Fret Not 

 GRL PWR

in case you can't decipher, it's Girl Power

 New age success, how are they different?

Curiosity, Empathy, Imagination. 

(the enemy of Creativity is..... Distraction)

Book cited lesser-known brands and initiatives, eg: KeepCup (which I happen to have two of these)

KeepCups are reusable coffee mugs where if you want to use less of disposable styrofoam cups, you can use one of their Universal-fitting Barista approved size cups when you tar-bao / purchase take-away coffee at the cafe. 

Other examples:  GoldieBlox - breaking stereotype in "Girly" toys, creating Engineering Toys for girls (and boys) but targeting girls. 

Guidebook: How To Live A Full Life With Little Money. 

or, 

How To Be Happy With Little. 

Shop at Thrift Stores, that is. LOL. 

I'll try to apply for this IPO
Replanting Sabah's Forests.

FNAF

Kiki asked for these books. I have no idea what these are but the theme looks gothic.
I've told her these are not suitable for kids but she desires them so much, she was disappointed that I wasn't gonna get them for her.

She is very much of a 'gamer' although we don't have a PC where she could be playing computer games. Already with the iPhone, she could be much addicted to it, I have no plans to give her PC games as I think if we don't manage it well, it could become an unhealthy lifestyle.

For now, she is mainly watching games being playout via YouTube videos, it is like a second position gaming experience but she is as well-versed as an actual gamer.

I think it might not be really practical to be blocking her from these types of gaming exposure and I will have to be also reading these books before letting her have them. She is a Tom Boy...............

Banana King

 Bigger than life, the history of the Banana Trade.

FISH ATE WHALE

I don't like to read on Kindle or pdf. My brain doesn't light up that way. 

I used to call up Kinokuniya & Borders (now defunct) to enquire about titles that I want. 

When new titles that I asked for wasn't in store yet, they would jot down the details, bring the books in, and when the books arrived, the store would call me to collect my reservation. 

That was in the past. 

Now I try not to buy books. 

Because first of all, I don't have enough space to store them properly. (Keyword: Properly)

Secondly, books, like money, hardly ever get returned when loaned. (Unless you're the Bank or the Library Bank ie) I don't like losing my books this way, nor money! for that matter. Thirdly, I only live in the moment of reading, I would have Aha moments while reading and then more or less develop amnesia over the books after a few months. I don't recall titles nor authors. How terrible. 

So now that I more of less just borrow books from the library, I still can't help wanting titles that I want. Good thing they have a "recommendation" feature, I can recommend the title and hope they'd bring it in. It would benefit everyone else wouldn't it?

So I've made my maiden recommendation today.

The Fish That Ate The Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King