I must write this down

I had a strange encounter last week. The sales manager from the movers was here to do the assessment. Nice, elderly man. After he has done what he was supposed to do, on his way out, he asked if this was a Christian family. I said yes! Then he started sharing with me his three dreams.

Dream 1
He dreamed of a beautiful church building. It was magnificent and very majestic. Very impressive. The strange thing, it was an empty church.

Dream 2
He was at a wedding ceremony. He was standing at the door, looking at the aisle. The bridegroom was at the end of the red carpet waiting but there was no bride.

Dream 3
He was at the wedding banquet, only the host was there and there was no guests.

Ok, I don’t want to spiritualise everything but I also believe that nothing happens by coincidence.

These three dreams were very similar to the thoughts and feelings I have been carrying…

1) Will a church building become so majestic and “upper class” that no one dares to step in? Or, it has become a life-less building?

2) Where is everyone when they are needed?

3) Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’  And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. (Matt 22:8-10)

The church must represent a place where people can boldly walk in and feel secured.

Oh, my birthday?

25th October has always been a special day for me. Even looking at the numbers, they felt special. Strangely, not this year. I almost forgot. The spouse asked me if I would like a birthday lunch or dinner. I said, “maybe lunch would be better since Ann has school the next day.” “But your birthday would be on a Saturday.” Oh, yes, I forgot.

I told myself, I would be turning 49 but a friend reminded, it is 48. Gasp, why did I want to age so fast. Perhaps, the age matters no more. Or the busyness of this period got into me.

On the day itself, it was the spouse again “Happy Birthday, Lao Po”. Oh yes, it is my birthday, today!

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Ahhh…nice place for a birthday dinner with people I love…
away from the crazy crowd on a Saturday night!

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My son. You got to love him unconditionally. I love you..in spite of.

Son : You still look the same!
Mum : Don’t bluff. You mean you were around 48 years ago?
Son : Ok, 14 years ago.
Mum : You mean when you were born, you already know how I looked?
Son : Mums…ok… 10 years ago and now, you still look the same!

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My daughter. The free spirit. You got to give her space to bloom!

Ann : Ya, seriously, you know, seriously, you still look the same!
Mum : I have wrinkles now.
Ann : Where got wrinkles. Those are smile lines
Mum : You don’t end up as a lawyer, it will be a waste!
Ann : You haven’t change at all!

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Thank you for the positive stroking, my children!

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The spouse. Thank you for remembering, thank you for celebrating this special day!

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The family is one of nature’s masterpieces. You don’t choose them, you just have them.

Oh yes, how can I forget the food!

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The cheese platter. The blue cheese was the best. The rest are good quality cheese!

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Ann’s lobster pasta. Portion just nice for her.

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Mummy’s seafood platter. Ann asked why must have foam. Hahaha. Class mah!

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The spouse’s duck confit. Crispy skin with tender meat.

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Kai’s beef tenderloin. The one below is mash potatoes. Kai equate that to my mash potatoes! I got class too!

All in all, good food not costing an arm or leg. Just nice for a special occasion.

Finally…
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Dessert which double up as my birthday cake. (From left to right)
Almond cream puff. Superb. Very fresh cream.
Blue berry cheese cake. Kai said it was good. It has to be good coming from a no-cake eater.
Hot lava cake. Rich, creamy chocolate, the cake just melt in your mouth.
Mango sorbet with crusty base. Very special. Nice!
Creme Brulee. Texture is just nice. Top nicely caramelised, not burnt.

Beautiful night, beautiful place with wonderful company. Oh yes, there was even fireworks nearby to celebrate my birthday…*wink*

To myself, to  more good years! Cheers

I think the stage will be her second home

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Ballerina’s Poem
by Miranda Snow

Never will I be covered in tattoos
My legs and toes shall forever stay bruised.
I’ll never paint or carry a tune
Forever and ever, I’ll wear a tutu.

I won’t dye my hair pink or blue
My piercings will stay as the simple two
Nails cut short and hair in a bun
In ballet, this must be done.

Pink tights by the mound
Bobby pins all around
Leotards on the floor
Pointe shoes by the door.

Toes taped so tightly
Smiling big and brightly
Red lipstick adding to her beauty
The dancer moves so smoothly.

Turned out from my hips
No words coming from my lips
I dance sweetly to the sound
Ooh ballet, to you, I am bound.

Full of grace, never haste
Filling perfectly my costume of lace
Ever so sweet, my dancing feet
Step after step, I repeat and repeat.

Obtaining perfection is my key
It’s what I strive for, it’s all that defines me
Pushing harder and harder to reach my goal
It’s what I live for, ballet is my soul.

My toes may bleed
And my knees, grow weak
But I’ll never stop dancing…
Not until I reach my peak.

Pirouette, Pirouette
Dancer’s silhouette
Practicing at dusk
Dedication is a must.

Stretching my limbs
Choreographing on a whim
Alway aiming to be stronger
To hold my arabesque longer.

When I do finally reach that triple pirouette
and all is done and all is set
I put myself back into class
Aiming for a fourth, to be better than the last.

This is the life of a dancer en pointe
Risking the health of her feet, legs and joints
Just for that one perfect moment on stage
Where the ballerina stands tall and all are amazed.

Another low EQ

I had my first 1.5hrs session with my new supervisor. I am already missing Ms Trina Tan. If not for the distance, I would NOT change my supervisor. Ms Tan really brought out the best in me. I would want to have her again as my supervisor when I do my Masters.

I think Ms Low is lacking in EQ. It was my first meeting with her and I greatly appreciate the fact that she offered to pick me up near the MRT station. However, her instruction was not clear and I ended up at the wrong place.

“So far, I only had two students who couldn’t find the bus-stop.” A person with a higher EQ would have said “So far, I only had two students who couldn’t find the bus-stop but it is ok, the next time, you would not have any problem.”

When we reached her house, I was led to her “office”. She had a chair and a sofa. I was heading towards the chair but she asked me to sit at the sofa. Why the difference? It made me extremely uncomfortable. I was not there for therapy. I was not her patient, I was a supervisee. She was too rigid, too “stiff upper lip”. Definitely, not my style, first impression fail!

Yes, I know she knows a lot. So does Ms Trina. I mean, Ms Trina is a lecturer for Counselling. She has been doing this for many years. Never, has she once talked about how much she knows. Ms Low spent a considerable amount of time talking about her years in counselling, helping with its syllabus, she is also supervisor to students from Monash, UNiSim , etc, etc….

People, need to learn to be humble especially when you are in the people’s business!

I shall not allow her attitude to deter me from learning. I shall “squeeze” every drop of knowledge from her *wink*!