29/12/04

Mosquitos...... yesterday was another terrible night. 2 days of night bombardment made me soooo tired. I couldn't sleep enough. 6 mosquitos downed by 6 am. After the last one was gone, I finally had a good sleep for 4 hrs before i woke up at 10am.

I went down with my parents for breakfast. After that, my mum and I took a bus and travelled to a place near Sim Lim tower to search for a device that has 2 blue lights in the middle, surrounded by electrical wires. This is used to "wack" the mosquitos. I think you might be able to picture it out. I don't know what it is called. The mosquitos have lead me to no choice but to engage in such a terrible warfare, more deadly than my "tennis racket".

After that, we went to Toa Payoh central for some shopping. I got a pair of sandels and slippers hee. SPEND TOO MUCH!!. I really have to stop haha but i couldn't control. I wanted to find a small retro handheld game so that i can play it during my boring bus ride to school but i couldn't find any that I like. Sooo sad.

Then, my dad came and joined us for lunch haha. It is only today that I know that my dad doesn't like egg white from the full-boiled egg (i don't know the official name) . So coincident that my mum doesn't like egg yolk. And sooooo coincident that I like both. hahaa what a family. Had a meal full of pigs organs. I guess that sounds yucky to my western friends, but they tasted sooooo good. haha

Then I came home to upload all the photos that i have taken during my jc class outing. Many of my friends requested for the printable size, so i think its still better to post them on a website. haha.

At night, I attended a concert by the Mus Art Wind Orchestra. I was damn late. I usually have a habit of arriving early for concert but today was an exception. The concert started at 7.30pm but i was still outside cityhall MRT station at 7.25pm. I ran.... past peninsula plaza, took a left turn, then a right into a dark alley behind the parliament house. The construction workers looked at me as if i was some wierd freek haha.

I managed to reach in time. The first piece that band played blew me away. For a moment, I thought that the band still hasn't improve much. Still as noisy, messy and bad. But the subsequent songs changed my thinking. I think they have did alot of intonation training and balance building. Impressed. The conductor is indeed a good one. However, they lack the higher level of musicianship. That is, emotions. I still can't feel. Those music just sound like notes to me. Even the crescendos and decrescendos feel so mechanical. haha sorry for saying that.

Gotta rest cuz tomorrow i have to teach band, then KTV with my friend S. ahhaa fun!!

Slice of Life

Beautiful, Useful or Loved?

We often don't realise it, but some of the stress in our life can be reduced if we eliminate clutter. We could also possibly see things in a clearer perspective.

At this point, you have probably run across some belongings that don't exactly serve a practical purpose in your life. Some items simply cannot be judged according to their function alone. Certain objects, such as artwork or collectibles, are kept because they are aesthetically pleasing. Others are treasured for their sentimental value. However, there is another set of criteria that you may find easier to apply in these situations.

"Is it beautiful, useful, or loved?"

Think about it - if an object isn't beautiful, useful, or loved, then why are you keeping it?

"But it was expensive!"

You may say that you are keeping an item because you spent a lot of money on it, and you can't stand to see it go to waste. Well, if you aren't using it now, isn't it still going to waste? These objects are nothing but high-price reminders of purchasing mistakes you made in the past. Perhaps you can sell it and recoup some of the expense.

"I might be able to wear it again!"

So, you're keeping those size "S" clothes because you might fit into them again some day. But does keeping a garment that is too small encourage you to lose weight or fill you with shame because you still haven't reached your goal? Isn't it healthier to focus on feeling better about your appearance now?

Another rationalization that I hear fairly regularly is, "Auntie Mei gave that to me. She would be so hurt if I got rid of it." Don't 'guilt-trip' yourself this way. Who runs your life? You or Auntie Mei?

We place too much importance on "stuff" as it is, without creating an unnecessary sense of obligation. The idea of keeping something that you have no use for, just so you can drag it out when your relatives visit, seems a bit dishonest. Wouldn't you prefer that your loved ones respect who you are, rather than who they want you to be?

ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY RAMONA CREEL