Lunch Party for Seven

So cute. Some of them have their paws in the dish. Some eat quicker than others. Some just can't concentrate.

From cuteoverload.com

Kuala Lumpur Revisited

We took our little Subaru R1 (or was it the other way round?) to KL on May Day and stayed two nights. It's been awhile since I last visited the capital of Malaysia and it's always been a food tour more than anything - I missed the Ampang Yong Tau Foo above all. I wanted to ta paw. Armed with a little GPS device on the iPhone we made our way to places for food.

However with comparison, Penang is still the leading foodie's paradise. Geographically, Penang and JB should swap place.

Saffi and (another) Friend

Previous friend as seen here.

The Mothers-and-Daughters Taipei Tour

It was a nice, free and easy 5-day trip for the ladies in April. Because I should be responsible for the last minute bookings, and possibly because I am not a mother nor a 5-year-old child, plus it's my sister's birthday, there are enough reasons for me to be in-charge of the itenerary and the designated tour leader although I've never been to Taiwan.

In the 5 days we managed to visit temples, night markets, national museum and other tourist attractions, conquered the skyscraping Taipei 101, took tarins and buses up north to the waterfalls and 'old streets', invaded the popular shopping places in the city, experiemented the must-try local snacks. At the end of each eventful day our limbs are tired, but our bellies and shopping bags full.

It's The Real (Big) Thing

Bill Backer, creative director on the Coca-Cola account for McCann-Erickson was in a plane that got diverted to Ireland due to a fog in London. At the airport he got inspired by the group of passengers, sharing their experiences over the said drink. These people come from all over the world, and they're keeping each other company.

When he met up with Coca-Cola's Music Director later, he wrote on a napkin "I'd like to buy the world a Coke", where Billy Davis replied that if he could buy the world something, it'd be a home with peace and love to share.

I saw this ad once again on the UK tv recently. It was a programme about 'memorable tv commercials' and interviewed one of the lip-synching youth as she relates how they were gathered and taught the song over a few days and then the recording begun.

The ad that changed the world in 1971:

I'd like to buy the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to buy the world a Coke
And keep it company
That's the real thing

What the world wants today
Is the real thing

New Pink Toy *Wink*

I am so pleased with my new Netbook, the Asus Eee PC (1000HA) fondly named 'Birdie'. Evidently Saffi likes it too cos she being a copycat also fancies pink things.

It is official. This new gadget is going to replace my good old Sony Vaio which remained a trusted work machine (obviously grey and silver in colour for that purpose) and the latter will be inherited by my 14yr old nephew.

Sniff. The memories.

Is it normal to feel sentimental over hardwares and appliances? As a kid I take my Sony walkman everywhere as if it was my life line. Once my brother and I had a tiff - ok, for he wouldn't let me watch my channel on the tellie, said something hurtful then completely ignored my feelings even after I had spilled my bag of popcorns (then I liked them sweet) - I stormed into the room, grabbed his AIWA walkman and smashed it on the ground. Mean, I know. I do regret and am still very sorry. But that got his attention.

I also develop feelings for mobile phones. My first, a hand-me-down from the above-mentioned distressed brother, was a very sleek black Ericsson. Alright, that having compared to the previous generation of water-bottle type Motorola. I use my phones for a long time and subsequent ones I kept nicely in their boxes, some still with original protective covers intact.

We all have said something memorable over our phones and have waited and stared at them, haven't we?

There are also sentimental feelings for rice cookers, televisions, etc. But I am digressing.

Here are some pictures to bring us back to the point:

Love Animals? Protect them.

The Animal Protectors Grant
If you have an idea for a project that will have a positive impact on animal welfare here in Singapore, you can apply for one of six grants (maximum $1,500 each) at the Singapore Animal Welfare Symposium (SAWS) 2009.

Last year, nine grants were awarded in 2008, for a range of projects including producing educational children's books on animal protection, making a documentary on animal welfare, raising public awareness on the illegal wildlife trade and sterilising stray cats.

More information here: www.animalwelfare.sg

Crying

It's not easy to say who your favourite singer-songwriter is but surely there's one who moves you either with words, melody or simply, voice.

When I first heard the song Crying I was a mere primary school kid. It was my brother (then in his early teens) who told me that voice belongs to k.d. lang. Curious it didn't bother me at all that I couldn't figure out whether she's a boy or a girl (although I was surprised to learn during that time - also from my brother - that the singer of Fast Car is indeed a woman).

The 80s' version recorded by Roy Orbison featured a duet with k.d. lang and there's a black and white video you can find on youtube.com. That being one of the most memorable duet in history, it's k.d. lang's voice that kills me. That concert she did in Singapore in 2005 reminded me what a charming and heart-breaking singer she is. Watching her sing 'Crying' live took me back in time to the eighties, how I stopped doing whatever I was doing and quietly watched her from the back of the tiny HDB living room, completely mesmerised by the emotions powered through her pipes.

Try as I might, I can't recall the programme that was broadcasted on our national tv - could it be Grammys? A concert tribute to Roy Orbison? Anyhow, I found this one on youtube where she performed live in Sydney, with tour-accompanying guitarist John 5 (ex guitarist with Marilyn Manson).



Her latest album Watershed is good but previous ones are more memorable. Hymns of the 49th Parallel is so brilliant, it hurts.

Fear (and Too Many Questions)

In the midst of the epidemic outbreak I imagined: If you develop symptoms tomorrow, need to be quarantined and not sure whether you'd survive...

Will you worry about that late credit card payment? Losing your job? The well-being of your pets? The errand that needs running? Will you worry about the people worrying about you?

If there's nothing in your isolation except for your phone, who will you call and what will you say?

Are we afraid of dying because of death? Or because we haven't done what we ought to do? Will we have time - and finally courage, to make arrangements for our ageing parents, find our pets a good home, sort out benefitiaries, tell our friends and family how much we love them, declare your feelings to the crush of your life, or to even say goodbye?

I let myself wonder and then I panicked. The worst thing to carry with you when you die is not virus, debt, or pain.

Since most of us can't plan our deaths, does that mean regrets are inevitable? Even though we've all heard the saying, will we ever live today like it's the last?