/Friday, October 06, 2006
Singapore experienced the worst Haze ever this early evening. Lovely, just lovely.
The smouldering smoky atmosphere and the burning stench that tilltilates our nostrils is simply not helping to make me feel any better.
Today is "Yuan Siao Jie", a lovely night for mooncakes and lanterns and my granny's house was beautifully decorated with loads of pretty lanterns. Lovely, just lovely.
However, to my dismay, it's actually two different things: mooncake VS lanterns. According to Sherry, Taiwanese DO NOT carry lanterns during Mooncake Festival("Yuan Xiao Jie"). They eat only mooncakes. They only carry lanterns when it's lantern festival ("Zhong Qiu Jie"). I wonder why Traditionally-incorrect Singaporean Chinese people started the "2-in-1" formula. Lovely, just lovely.
A whirlwind of events struck me over the weekends. Being the proverbial observer of all things small and insignificant, I can't help noticing these things. Made me thought about how unexpected live could be.
There was 3 deaths over one weekend. Peoply die everyday, every hour, every second. I know that. But this is too much.
On Sat, I learnt that the granny next door passed away from an heart attack. Idon't know her personally, but I heard she was at the newly built exercise corner under my block, answering a call on her mobile phone when suddenly, her heart decided to stop. How unexpected, saw her walking around 2 weeks ago and now *poof*.
On Sun, my prof's sister passed away. This prof is a really nice guy and I enjoy his module on leadership very much. Last week, he revealed that he's undergoing a tough period as his sister had been diagnosed with colon cancer and was about to go anytime. He was very upset because he lost his father to cancer also, and was hoping that lessons would not be affected be of his distracted state of mind. So far, the whole class have recieved 28 annoucements on our IVLE and they are always written essay style (very long). How many profs bother to tell us so many things about their lessons and how to prepare for it? I think he's currently at the crossroads of his life, a 50-er ;being a staunch christian, he told us he will eventually retire and go on a mission in some 3rd world country. Somehow, I can sense that he's pondering how he should spent the rest of his life being truly satisfied and at peace. After all, he's got his career, his family, his 4 kids and enough wealth to tide him over.
On Monday morning, my relative passed away from stomach cancer. A slow and painful death. An unfortunate chain of events struck him and his life just detoriated over the years. It all started on a fine day, where he suddenly blacked out and when he was found, his watch, wallet and stuff had been pickpocketed while he was unconscious. After a while, I heard he had blood clots in his brain, and the doctor had to removed part of his skull to operate on him. Resulting in a partially sunken part on his head. Soon, he became paralysed and his wife had to care for him 24/7. His speech was slurred, he can't feed himself and he can't take care of himself. A few years later, they put him in a nursing home. Then, last month, they found out that he had advance stage stomach cancer and his whole tummy bloated up. My mum always pay regular visits to him at the home. I don't, I know this sounds really stupid but the reason is that I was afraid to see him. From a perfectly healthy man into such a sad state. i saw him only once though, during Chinese new year last year. But I did'nt speak to him. How unexpected life could change over time is to much for me to grasp. Even on the day I attended his funeral, I paid my respects but refused to look at his body. Now, I would'nt have the chance to because he is already cremented at Mandai on Thursday. The rituals were simple as they practise Japanese Buddhism and I swore silently to myself never to attend any more funerals as they also throw me into the saddest state of mind. But it's unavoidable. When I was young, I always feel that Im lucky not to have any deaths in the family. Now, it's kinda weird as I think back at my childhood state of mind because growing up means having to deal with more deaths in the future. It's tragic, but simply unavoidable. I feel sad for my relative, the lady who had been taking care of him all this while; she has no job, no children and only has her religion to offer her some spiritual support, and some of us to lend her a listening ear once in a while.
Ironically, my prof's sister was also cremented at Mandai the day before. It's a very sad place. Hope I don't have to go there again. It's painful to see the coffin going into the flames, reaching out to engulf the whole body into powdery remains. Very very sad indeed, even if you ain't closely related to the decease.
On Monday, I attended a talk by Miss Nanz Chong Komo, the former owner of the chain of 1.99 shops. It's a talk organized for my leadership module, and it was really inspiring and surreal. Surreal? Always seeing Miss Nanz in the papers, but not it real life. And the sight of her, with really high Cheekbones, 1.76cm tall, and a SUPER Bulging tummy as she was 8-months pregnant, is really Surreal. Incredibly professional as she stood for one hour plus, talking excitedly about being a leader and a entreprenuer, and her belly look like it's gonna pull her down forward and onto the ground. Can you imagine the energy this women despite being 8 months pregnant? Sans the belly, she looks really good and professional.
She was a model, a past that may have labelled her an air-head, a non-degree holder, she does'nt know about cashflows, P&Ls, and business models. She admitted all of this. She started everything from the stratch. Even when she talked about her eventual bankrupcy, we looked sadder than her and she was still chirpier than ever. Tremendous drive and very upbeat about her future. I like her. =)
Now. Time to deal with myself.
it just ain't right @ Friday, October 06, 2006
