Beaten to a Pulp

Last night I met up with PW. She asked how I've been since we've not met up for over a year now. 

I replied that for quite a long time, I've been zombified, I couldn't care less about most things. I added that I think Life had beaten me to a pulp, I feel like a slump, a slob of pulp, and that I could not even bother to pick myself up because it just keeps getting at me and not an ounce is left in me to resist. It was not a good place but I had been there. 

I think that part of life have passed and I am feeling better but I do think that my psyche make-up have changed and that I no longer have default optimism in many things, I do not like to be pragmatic but now I think it is the way to operate. It sucks to admit resignation but ya, I have been defeated greatly. Luckily, my kids do make me laugh inside some of the times, so I suppose it's not too bad. 

I don't think it's really that bad to have a "resigned" mindset like how I feel right now. 

Surely I can't command Life, nor does it respond to my liking. So I guess all I have is nothing but myself and the inner voice in me, which is fine. Better real than never. 

 Disclaimer:  Paint App. Not real.

12th Anniversary

Johnny Chia, 21st April 1949 - 17th May 2006

Colin looks so much like me when I was his age. 

Amazing how DNA runs. 

My dearest Papa, how are you?

Friyay

 why am i feeling happy when i still have not got money in my bank?

 because worrying will not help. having money will. 

how can i make more money on the side?

what can i do (for extra income) that will still leave me time for my kids?

think, think, think. 

 "Do something, Mayor!" - the villagers cried.

(Mayor is me, Villagers also me)

Goofing with filters

 Daiso $2 hair beads

Friday

goofing with filters

Filters

 One night, she told me that she is finally finding happiness in learning the violin. 

I asked - how so?

She says that it was happiness when she figured out some stuff on her own, before teacher taught. 

I was like - hum.......... okay....... I guess. 

That's like discovery learning of sorts I suppose. 

Waaaa.... Money! 

 

Goofing with Filters

 Puppy 

 .

Summer Sunset Eyes

To celebrate Michelle's return to her career, I watched one of my favourite Michelle Phan's make-up tutorials again - that's the Summer Sunset Eyes,  made seven years ago, still rings so good.

Michelle Phan - Summer Sunset Eyes.

It's Friday

Everyone Loves Friday

 Everyone Loves Friday

Happy Birthday

My boss' BD today.

Date

Having dinner with my old, old, Bintan friends tonight.

Which hair?

中秋佳节庆月圆

The school will never "let us off" easily without some form of games participation as a family.
We had to hunt for messages containing Chinese Riddles and try to solve them. Some riddles are pertaining to Mooncake Festival while others are plain riddles, eg the one I've got: 古代的月亮- guess a word. Answer: "胡"  Oh, that question's also pertaining to the festival, although the answer isn't. Ha. (me slow).

The school explained to us that it means a lot for the kids when their parents do the simple thing called "Showing up". I mean of course they didn't put it in this way I'm telling you but the gist of the message is that. When parents make an effort to part take in their kids' affairs, it gives the kid pride (not the pompous kind of egoistic pride; but the joyful, loving kind of identification pride). It doesn't have to be a showy affair, a kid's discovery & growth process is joyous in nature and we could help by keeping it that way. They would happily rattle off and tell you how they painted the handmade lanterns if you would just ask.

In fact, I think many things in life is about Showing Up. But don't just show up for the sake of being there or keeping up an expectation. To show up, you've got to be mentally, emotionally present. Make a connection, and be in-the-moment. These days our pace of living is so condensed that many of us have to make extra efforts to show up when required. Well, we'll just do our best every time.

 Selfie time

Goodnight

Hen Party

Saturday morning's Colin's music time. This week, they played games involving fast & slow.
After morning's session, it would be a quick nap (important to maintain a co-operative kid), and then it's to PJ's hen party!

We met at Raffles Hotel where the hen coop's supposed to be.
But it turned out my other male cousins were there, so it became a mixed party.

We adjourned at PuTien for dinner.
At dinner My cousin PJ asked Kiki to sing a song, and she belted out in great zest 虹彩妹妹嗯唉哟! 
We tried not to laugh as her pronunciation was funny, plus we couldn't make out what she was singing except for the phrase 虹彩妹妹嗯唉哟!

 

 

now I'm 8 kg overweight rather than 10 kg.

 

In my family, the girls always play all sorts of board games or card games, eg: Saboteur

 Then, it's Selfie Time!

Five of us born in year of Ox.

In "The Return of Goldilocks & The Three Bears",  Goldilocks cried: "Who's been sitting in MY chair!?"

I

It's none other than Baby Gummi Bear. =_="
Me & my crappy jokes made my cousies laughed. 

And then it's their turn to turn crappy-funny with  "Levitation" magic.

 When it was time to go home, Kiki cried. Who would wanna leave a fun party isn't it?
I can only tell her I'll bring her to all of my cousies' gathering in future. So that's a promise.