Making memories with mama

Doing this skit for mother's day really makes me think about my relationship with my mother. She turns 61 this Friday and suddenly, I realise I am at the age where I first noticed her getting old. It surprisingly coincides with the time I became a teenager, but I am sure adolescent angst had nothing to do with the way I perceived her. (tongue firmly in cheek)

At 37, my mother was grumpy - alot. Everything I did annoyed her. I remember there was once I came home from school and was sitting at the table talking to her when suddenly, suddenly, she flew into a rage because I was sitting around in my uniform. It was confusing, it was like "you just noticed? I been sitting here for 30 minutes!"

At 37, my mother was not very sociable. She went to work, she came home. No parties, no exercise, no trips to visit people, nothing. It bothered me that she was quite happy pottering around her plants, or sitting in semi-darkness, listening to Tamil film music from the 40s and 50s. Aren't people who need people the luckiest people? I didn't get it.

At 37, my mother was very tired. She slept alot, in the afternoons, early in the evenings, on a bus, in a cab. All the time.

Now that she is 61, she is one of the most happening women. Her days are packed with morning runs, social visits, trips to JB, gatherings, parties. Ever since semi-retirement, its like her life really took off.

And I am tired. and grumpy. and not very sociable.

We have come full circle.

10 years

This day, ten years ago, at 9:27 am, my life changed.

I now had another person to take care of. Of me and yet independant of me. Mine and yet, not quite. Of more worth than silver of gold, and yet just a bundle of wrinkly flesh. And good lungs.

What people said:
- He is so perfect
- You are so blessed
- He is going to be a wonderful being
- He will bring you joys you didn't know about

What they didn't say
- You will never sleep again
- Your body will never get over it
- You will find out the most wonderful and most evil things about yourself
- You will feel sorrow about things that didn't matter before

They were right. But so were the unspoken words.

One thing I do know. I wouldn't change it for the world. He is my only arrow in my quiver, but he would be the one I want next to me, come what may.

He is my baby, my son, my kid, my joy, my trial and my greatest blessing.

Happy birthday son!

First Birthday Thing

My department people at work took me to birthday lunch today. We had Japanese, as my request, which is one of my favourites (among the other 15 types of cuisine which are my favourite. Ok, I like food.)

It was really fun, especially trying everybody's food, making fun of each other and generally continuing the asinine mayhem that goes on in the office anyway.

And I got really nice presents, including a "hot babe" tag. Finally, the recognition for who I really am :)

Happy already!

Some photos. I won't ruin your pleasant bewilderment with captions.

Long time, no see

It's been a real long time since my last post, but things have been swimming along rather furiously and its all I can do to keep my head above water.

Still, thank God for busy periods, especially during this time when people are getting laid off left, right and centre. The busier I am, the more likely I will still be employed at the end of this year eh?

Its been eventful with so many things I can't share here. But I can share this: My mum just had the most rip-roaring 60th birthday this weekend. We had it at the SAF chalets in Changi and more than 50 people came. The food was awesome, the company great and people we haven't seen in a long time showed up so it was quite cool.

My cousin Shal and I made my mother this poster as a keepsake for people to sign on. I thought she will like it it. I didn't expect her to cry.


She had her dance with her husband, which she wanted very much, and really liked her diabetic friendly cupcakes, so I think she was happy.

Me, I was just freaking out at every little thing that didn't go exactly according to plan. Like I always do. :)

Happy Birthday Hanan

My baby is nine.

Has it really been almost 10 years since I was in the first flush of motherhood, throwing my guts up after drinking even water?

Has it been 8 years since he took his halting steps, and made us jump up and rush to his side everytime he fell?

Has it been five whole years since his first day of school, where his teacher had to pry his little hands of mine, and I walked away crying more than he was?

Was it only 3 years ago that that I decided I wouldn't do the kiasu parent thing and not put my boy in 400 enrichment classes, but let him find his passion and follow in on his own?

Wow.

Happy birthday son! I hope you become the man God intends for you to be.

exams and birthdays

It's that season again, where teachers start to panic, pile on the homework, and try and make sure that the kids know the subject matter, either by understanding or mere repetition.

Yes, its the awful CA2, which always hits my son badly because it happens either during or just after his birthday, ths diminishing his enjoyment.

One of the things that really affects him is that he has to balance being nice to his parents who are bringers of parties and presents with the endless frustration of being nagged, scolded and given a earful about schoolwork.

To add to that we have tution teachers who give the parents homework, along the lines of
- "Make sure he does.."
- "Make sure you go through.. with him"
- "Make sure you check his...."

And here I was, thinking I left school behind me.

Dancing in the moonlight aka Birthday Post II

It was the perfect ending to a beautiful day. I couldn't have asked for better. A picked me up at 7.30 from Far East Plaza, where I had hurriedly changed out of my birthday clothes (as opposed to a birthday suit) and into comfortable jeans and T shirt.

A. was slightly tardy, but it was fun people watching at Far East. It's like entering a different paradigm, where everyone has an extra W chromosome.

Anyway, she drove us to East Coast Park, near the old Big Splash (what is that place called now anyway?)There, as the gentle breeze blew through my carefully brushed hair, creating what looked like an Amy Winehouse bird's nest, I saw M, R and J in the distance, engaged in what looked like successful "chope-ing" of a stone table.

At A's insistance, we spread some mats on the sand and sat down. The guys tried their darnest to light candles and finally managed to light one. Which is a good thing, because it was kinda dark.

G joined us just as we opened the food - talk about good timing. We laughed and talked more than we ate, but that's good.

There was a stange little outdoor pub nearby that had a guitar and singer duo who started off well, but got progressively worse at the night wore on. But they added so much fun to the night, as we sang along, almost as badly as they did.

My chocolate fudge cake was perfect, especially with the one candle that the boys managed to light, and hold lit by cupping 4 pairs of hands around it, so that I had the fun of blowing out. I have the best friends. Have I mentioned that already?

Here are ten things that I find out I mean to my dearest and nearest. Thank you A, for making them do the "Nalinee Appreciation" speeches.
1) Witty
2) Intelligent
3) Funny
4) Aggressive
5) Task Oriented
6) Purveyor of useless facts and info
7) Drama Mama
8) Dependable
9) Trustworthy
10) Loved

With that much affirmation, how can anyone ask for a better birthday eh?

18 million

That's how many minutes I have already been blessed to receive so far and I hope there will be another 18 million to look forward to. At least.

It a very good thing, a birthday. It makes you take stock of things in a different light. And people are nice to you. Very nice.

I started mine with breakfast with T. It was her wedding anniversary (26 years!!!) and her husband is away, so we decided to celebrate both occasions with a decadent breakfast at Delifrance. Yum yum. Never underestimate the happiness butter and croissants can brng you.

Then I got on a slow boat to Little India to meet my dad for lunch. It is the first time in a long while that I saw my dad on my birthday, but it felt right. He is one of my biggest cheerleaders and a huge celebrant of my life, so it was fitting that he was there.

We shared a plate of "kothu parata", which I didn't really like, and regaled me with tales of his work and life, which I loved. The thing about my dad is, he can take the most mundane, boring, everyday event, and dramatise it to the point where you are on the edge of your seat and biting your fingernails frantically, waiting to see how it all ends. I wish I had that gift.

After dad went back to work, I wended my way to Shaw Centre (House? I can never remember), hoping to see a movie I missed. Turns out both Prince Caspian and Sex and the City were showing. I finally decided on Prince Caspian, because I was in a deep, reflective kinda mood as opposed to frivolity. (don't get me wrong, I love frivolity in the right mood.)

Prince Caspian was a good movie in many ways, but maybe i am dumbing down or something, but I didn't really get all that theology that some people I know were raving about. It was a good story about a king taking his rightful place with a little help from his friends. Hmm, I wonder which other epic fantasy story adapted into a screenplay had this storyline.

But the cream and chocolate shavings topping on the perfect day was yet to come.......

Another Year

I apologise for the long blog absence, but really, so much has been going on, that I havent had time to stop and record stuff.

For one thing, I just had a birthday *blush*. Yep, I turned 34 on Wednesday, and spent it with Otrie and Hanan in Downtown East, in one of the chalets. It was good to take the time off to relax with my family and just enjoy each other (as far as that is possible!)

A few things that hit me while I was there:
1) I will never been this young again.
2) This will by far be the most challenging year of my life, as my friend said "the most mountain tops"
3) This will be year where more things happen, career and finances-wise, faster than they have happened in the past.

Hmm, on that note, I decided to not worry about how I look in my yellow swimsuit (like Big Bird), and have fun. So i went on every ride at Wild Wild Wet and Escape Theme Park! Now pple who know me, know that I am not usually a thrill ride person, so this was quite a stretch for me.

In the evening, we went to Mumtaz Mahal at Downeast for dinner. Firstly, an Indian fine dining restaurant in a place where flip flips and sarongs are de rigeur is an anomaly in itself. Then, we were the first customers and the only ones there for about 20 mins. So we had a good chat with our waiter, who has had the most fascinating career. Worked in India, Middle East, US and now Singapore, managing the most high end restaurants. He said he took this job because he wanted to slow down and have more time for his family (!) Which, you know, is as it should be.

I was supposed to go to work the next day, but the pool water set off my earache again, so I happily went to the doctor, and then happily went home. And slept all afternoon. It was the perfect way to end a great birthday celebration.

Here are some pictures
Waiting for our turn


How high is 15 m again?


Go Karting

Pool Fun.

The rest of the pictures are here.