Tete te tete, over curry chicken, toast bread and coffee;
comfort food for the soul.
Tete te tete; much to talk about, much to share.
Tete te tete; togetherness re-visited.
Creative Commons
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Singapore License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 License.
Friday, 30 September 2011
Window to the World
By the Window, by the Window.
A window to the world; a strange, strange world.
A world where the nasty rise and the kind and diligent languish.
A world where opportunities flow to those without heart.
By the Window, by the Window.
A window to the world; a strange world indeed.
Monday, 26 September 2011
The Laundry Woman
The laundry load; it grows and grows.
Would that it were gold.
Woe betide the laundry woman
when the washing machines break down.
One after another, leaving the laundry woman in the lurch,
struggling with the loads of laundry,
making do with fewer pairs of hands.
Yet empathetic or understanding the Master was not.
Sew on the dangling buttons; trim the edges of the garment ...
Ever-growing, the laundry woman's pie certainly was!
How about more washing machines, my dear Sir?
The air closing on her, like a rope tightening round her neck ...
but survive she must,
for many mouths she has to feed back home.
Would that it were gold.
Woe betide the laundry woman
when the washing machines break down.
One after another, leaving the laundry woman in the lurch,
struggling with the loads of laundry,
making do with fewer pairs of hands.
Yet empathetic or understanding the Master was not.
Sew on the dangling buttons; trim the edges of the garment ...
Ever-growing, the laundry woman's pie certainly was!
How about more washing machines, my dear Sir?
The air closing on her, like a rope tightening round her neck ...
but survive she must,
for many mouths she has to feed back home.
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Weekend venue re-visited
Many Saturdays, many months, at the club.
Rain or shine, at the pool.
From bronze to silver, to gold. Pyjamas pants and survival tips for little ones.
Brave little ones, jumping in despite the cold in rainy days; persevering, swimming lap after lap.
Hot tasty fishballs and cuttlefish balls after lessons, all the more delicious after the hard work!
The place where the little ones hit the first tennis balls; where they hit the shuttlecocks too.
Memories overflow during re-visit.
Bonding thro karaoke
Karaoke, the new "hip" pastime of the young.
So many songs, in English and Chinese,
belted out with gusto.
As the old ones marvel at the side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Who will catch the Baton?
The stage's set; the actors are in, and prepared.
Time to pass the baton ...
Time to put out the flyers.
Mass mailing - how effective. Key players - touched base?
Who will help bring it all to fruition；who will max out the mileage?
Who will catch the baton?
万事具备，只欠东风。
咳，还是靠我们自己吧！
Monday, 19 September 2011
In a Corner
A plant in a corner, atop a frig.
Languishing in the corner, forgotten.
Abandoned by its owner, its leaves starting to wither,
despite its good window view.
The plant in the corner, forgotten by its owner,
its giver forgotten, idol though he was.
The plant in the corner, left behind by its owner,
in her flight away.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
When the Butcher hangs up her knife
Tis a new butcher this morning.
The Butcher - our Butcher - has hung up her knife.
For more than two decades, she sold us pork, all types ...
minced pork, pork chop, liver, meat for soup ...
And her assistant, all making up the friendly faces at the market.
The Butcher decided to call it a day recently.
Off to practise her taiqi;
off to sing her songs;
off to retire.
So it's a new butcher this morning; a new relationship to build.
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Dullness
A dullness in the heart; almost numbness.
An emptiness in the heart; almost a void.
Real or imagined, one wonders.
No "shiok", no jumping up and and down;
just business as usual.
But is it?
Is the business still seen?
Concern for it still there?
One wonders.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Day of Global Rememberance
Tis the 10th anniversary of 911, the day of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre towers in New York.
T'was a day soon after our return. From LA, Ottawa and DC.
With much disbelief (as everyone else), we watched the TV footage of planes crashing into the two towers.
A day that shifted paradigms vastly. A day that immensely impacted our work, our lives and our mindsets.
Today, the battle continues. Against terrorism, against extremism.
A battle that we must continue to fight. Together. With hearts and minds.
(photo from www.fareastflora.com)
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Day of family rememberance
September 10, a day before 911 anniversary,
so distant, yet still so fresh in the memory.
Scenes flashing past, like slideshows, like photos on Flickr;
oft triggered by key words,
like "cancer", "heart", "tube feeding".
Remembering times past, good memories too,
favourite food, Cantonese dishes and soups.
Seeing how the other has aged, in two short years.
Live life; treasure our blessings, we say.
Friday, 9 September 2011
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
The Lure of the Kingdom
Every now and then, the Tortoise wondered if he took the right path.
It looked so right then.
A kingdom he felt very much a part of, a place he worked his tortise-y guts out for. A natural progression it was, to join the kingdom when it was time to leave. For to join another kingdom, he didn't feel like.
A strange shadow cast over the Tortoise after he joined. Relegated to a serfdom below his. The plot he had grown taken over and given to another.
The naive Tortoise - he didn't reckon for the evil wizards that lurked around, under the wolf's sheep skin.
The new plot he was given - he worked very hard to grow it. Luckily, helped by a good sincere team. Despite the evil spells cast by the wicked wizards and their lackeys, the new plot grew and bloomed. And bore fruits, turning the plot into a colourful orchard of juicy fruits.
Even then, lip service was occasionally thrown to the Tortoise, like miserly meat to hungry sheepdogs after a hard day's work. No matter what, the Tortise was well, only a tortise.
Other animals in the Kingdom leap-frogged over him. Even those in their infancy when he was working hard. Even the slow-movers among them. All have jumped over him.
The Tortoise felt ashamed, though he had done nothing wrong. How the rest must be wondering what he'd done wrong, to stagnate like that.
What a heart as heavy as his shell, the Tortoise looked at the horizon, hearing the voice of his mentor telling him that that wasn't what really mattered; hearing the admonishing voice of another being that he was lucky even to reach the finishing line.
Meanwhile, the majestic tower loomed large, high up for an overview of the kingdom. Yet, not seeing the cracks in the tower, and those who whispered words that benefited only them, and lazed on the sly.
It looked so right then.
A kingdom he felt very much a part of, a place he worked his tortise-y guts out for. A natural progression it was, to join the kingdom when it was time to leave. For to join another kingdom, he didn't feel like.
A strange shadow cast over the Tortoise after he joined. Relegated to a serfdom below his. The plot he had grown taken over and given to another.
The naive Tortoise - he didn't reckon for the evil wizards that lurked around, under the wolf's sheep skin.
The new plot he was given - he worked very hard to grow it. Luckily, helped by a good sincere team. Despite the evil spells cast by the wicked wizards and their lackeys, the new plot grew and bloomed. And bore fruits, turning the plot into a colourful orchard of juicy fruits.
Even then, lip service was occasionally thrown to the Tortoise, like miserly meat to hungry sheepdogs after a hard day's work. No matter what, the Tortise was well, only a tortise.
Other animals in the Kingdom leap-frogged over him. Even those in their infancy when he was working hard. Even the slow-movers among them. All have jumped over him.
The Tortoise felt ashamed, though he had done nothing wrong. How the rest must be wondering what he'd done wrong, to stagnate like that.
What a heart as heavy as his shell, the Tortoise looked at the horizon, hearing the voice of his mentor telling him that that wasn't what really mattered; hearing the admonishing voice of another being that he was lucky even to reach the finishing line.
Meanwhile, the majestic tower loomed large, high up for an overview of the kingdom. Yet, not seeing the cracks in the tower, and those who whispered words that benefited only them, and lazed on the sly.
Friday, 2 September 2011
无不散的合作
无不散的合作，
无不下的太阳。
友义，虽远，却永恒。
Two pieces of cod fish, side by side, perged on asparagus, atop mashed sweet potatoes.
Like friends together, working side by side, helping each other to balance the ship, working hard, for the master.
Farewell, my friend, farewell!
Thursday, 1 September 2011
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