Posted on 31 December 2004 @ 17:02 in Personal
I have three drafts saved, and was supposed to post a sort of countdown, with a post a day. But even at draft stage, they got too long and personal, so I decided to ditch them. (In case anyone is wondering, the three countdown posts were going to be about family, friends and gadgets - yeah, so what’s new in Chet’s life?)
Then I have had various threads running through my head, vying to be Chet’s final post for 2004.
And of course, above all, I wanted to write a clever and touching post to end this year.
All that’s out the window now.
opens window and chucks drafts and thought threads to the ground below
Let me just ramble (the only way I know how to write).
* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *
|
Posted on 30 December 2004 @ 23:30 in People
Today marks a year since she passed away. I was reminded of it when I was going through both my offline and online journals in search of what to write for my last entry for 2004.
Someone once said she (the someone, not Anita) blogs about what’s significant (more on this tomorrow; by the way, yes, I have finally come round to using the word “blog” as a verb; as usual, I digress).
Well, I mentioned Anita’s passing so it must’ve been a significant event. And it was, not just to me, but to her fans around the world. Am I a fan? Yes, but not a major one. I like her singing, and her acting, too.
One particular movie that comes to mind is The Heroic Trio which she starred with Michelle Yeoh and Maggie Cheung. The Internet Movie Database lists it in the action / fantasy genre. More important than that, it’s a women’s film, with women as the main characters and celebrating women and friendships.
Another Anita Mui movie that left an impression on me was Rouge which she starred with the late Leslie Cheung. They played lovers who agreed to commit suicide together but while she went ahead and actually did it, he did not (coward). Years later, she came back to haunt him (yay).
This is what I wrote about her passing a year ago:
| Nanyang Siang Pau devoted its front page to news of Anita Mui’s passing. I just checked the Net and there’s a huge 3-foot banner down some building in Hong Kong. A lot of news about her … |
I must’ve been really impressed with the 3-foot banner to have mentioned it in that short “obituary” about her passing. I’ve tried googling for it but have not been able to find it. Instead, here are a couple of pictures from The Heroic Trio:
|
Posted on 29 December 2004 @ 18:38 in Friends
“I think i am right behind you” - sms message
Stalker?
No, my fellow kvpug member, Chee Tien (aka OrenJus). Outstation member, based in Kota Bharu, he’s currently in town, originally enroute to Colombo, Sri Lanka, tomorrow as part of the Mercy Malaysia team going there to help out with the tsunami disaster. After arriving yesterday, he was told the situation in Sri Lanka is getting worse and the immediate need there is food, not doctors. So, he’s sitting tight (in his own words) and waiting for the go-ahead to Acheh instead.
Since he’s in town, we decided to try and meet up and finally did, this afternoon at Long Black SS2 (hence the sms as he thought the person in front of him was me). It was great to finally put a face to the person I’d been chatting online with all these months.
While at Long Black SS2, I asked if he would like to post a message at kvpug using my Phoebe. He said yes. I also asked if I could take a picture of him using Phoebe, and he said yes, too. So here’s the picture …
Nice meeting you, Chee Tien!
All the best with the Mercy Malaysia team. Will be praying for the safety of the whole team.
|
Posted on 29 December 2004 @ 01:37 in Friends
My friends at the AlphaSmart Community Centre have been worried about me, and one of them (Keith!) posted a question to ask if I was alright. I feel so loved now. Especially as they mean so much to me.
Thanks, guys, especially Keith and Richard. Good thing I stayed up late tonight and saw your questions, and was able to answer to let you know I’m okay.
|
Posted on 28 December 2004 @ 21:47 in Opinion
What’s not a bad word?
Are you ready for it?
|
Posted on 28 December 2004 @ 01:06 in Friends
I lost two friends recently, but not through death, instead through incompatibility. That word came and took me by surprise, but I have to say, it fits the situation perfectly.
But you know what? God has blessed me and given me new friends. Well, He gave me one, and she brought along others.
Thank you, Lord.
|
Posted on 27 December 2004 @ 11:24 in General
There’re no words to say
No words to convey
This feeling inside I have … |
The above words, taken from Tracy Chapman’s “For You” , is the closest I can find to convey what I’m feeling right now.
A lot of us are probably asking why?
The God detractors are probably pointing to it as another example of “If God is a loving God, why did He allow it to happen?”
It - the earthquake that shook our part of the world on Boxing Day 2004.
Why?
I don’t know, and I’m in no position to even attempt to answer it, so I won’t.
All I know is this:
God is still in charge. He will make something good out of this.
Right now, it may not seem that way, especially for those who have lost loved ones.
Our faith is being tested right here and now. I choose to believe He will make something good out of this.
Keep the faith, everyone.
|
Posted on 26 December 2004 @ 23:13 in General
Today, 26 December, is Boxing Day. It’s a holiday in some countries. Not in Malaysia, though.
BTW, it’s not what you think it is, so don’t go around boxing people, okay?
Well, I thought I knew the meaning of Boxing Day - something to do with the boxes that Christmas presents come in (honestly, I thought that) - but I was only partly right. I was right about the boxes, but that was all I was right about.
I googled for more information, and found two meanings:
First meaning of Boxing Day:
| Boxing Day
The day after Christmas, the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is better known as Boxing Day. The term may come from the opening of church poor boxes that day; maybe from the earthenware boxes with which boy apprentices collected money at the doors of their masters’ clients.
Nowadays, we often see, in certain families, gifts (boxes) given to those who provide services throughout the year.
“Boxing Day” is listed in the Canada Labour Code as a holiday.
Source: Canadian Heritage: Boxing Day |
Second meaning of Boxing Day:
| Boxing Day is so called because on this day it was the customary for tradesmen to collect their Christmas boxes or gifts in return for good service throughout the year. Also, it included giving money and other gifts to charitable institutions, and the needy.
The holiday may date from as early as the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is not known. It may have begun with the Lords and Ladies of England, who gave there Christmas boxes/gifts to their servants on December 26, or maybe by priests, who opened the church’s alms (charity boxes), and distributed the contents to the poor and needy.
Source: Elaine’s Boxing Day Page |
|
Posted on 26 December 2004 @ 21:20 in Family
I’ve been told I look like my mother.
What do y’all think?
|
Posted on 25 December 2004 @ 08:39 in Family
No, not of the wintery kind, but the hospital. I’m posting from the cafeteria of the Pantai Medical Centre where I spent Christmas Eve keeping my father company. My brother, who has been keeping him company for the last week or so, had to return to Singapore on Thursday. We made arrangements for a family friend to keep father company on Thursday night, and I took over yesterday afternoon.
He is being discharged later today - praise the Lord, what a Christmas present! - but with some medication, to return for a follow-up in a week’s time.
I’d brought Phoebe along for company and was able to detect an open signal from the room called “tsunami”. Unfortunately, that was all I got, a signal, no connection. I came down to the lobby later but couldn’t get a signal at all, and not from the cafeteria, either, so I had to use the desktop here. I called TMNet’s customer service and the rep gave me some crap excuse that they only provide the service line and if I couldn’t log in from my laptop, then it probably meant the laptop’s wireless card is faulty. I have something strong to write here about such an excuse, but won’t, seeing as how it’s Christmas morning.
In a week’s time, it’s going to be a new year which for me, always means a new beginning and fresh start. More than in previous years, I need this fresh start so yes, I’m looking forward to 2005.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, everyone!
|
