April Fool's Day

I cannot remember when was the last time someone tried fooling me on April Fool's Day. Not because I don't fall for tricks on this special day but because I fall for them any other day thus how special can April Fool's Day be for me.

This is Leslie's last song ....

Christian, The Lion.

I recently stumbled upon a video on Youtube introduced by a friend and you won't believe how it moved me. I actually cried.

Yes, stop laughing. If by now you do not know that I am a very emotional person, please go away because you aren't my friend. Just kidding. : )

The clip is about a lion cub that was taken home by two men from Harrods in the late 1960s. After a few months, the cub grew bigger in size and needed more space. After all, a lion needs to be free in the wild thus they decided to free him in Africa with the help of a conservationist.

A year later after Christian was freed in Africa, the two men decided to visit Christian in his new habitat. It wasn't a zoo but it was in the vast wild, a lion's natural habitat.

Despite warnings that the lion might not recognise them, the two men went ahead to find their beloved pet.

Enough said, take a look at the video .....






So did you shed a tear and did the video move you?

Well, it taught me a number of lessons about life and how relationships built should never be taken for granted but rather treasured.

It also taught me that love is not only forgiving but many times, a painful sacrifice.

It also reminded me of the people whom I have met, made friends with but hardly have time to say 'hello'. Frankly, I make this mistake of not reaching out to old friends of mine and I know it is bad. Very bad.

So allow me to say hello to all my friends whom I haven't really contacted over the past many years ... and thinking back, I miss one dear friend of mine whom I have not contacted for a very long time - Timothy Gan.

And to others who haven't gotten in touch with me recently, please remember me. : )

Staying ill.

The flu bug has stayed within our four walls for close to a week and counting. Sandy and I have been playing ping pong with one another by passing the bug between us.

No we didn't kick in the quarantine order because we were just too comfortable in our own beds. And the TV too.

The right thing is to sleep in separate rooms and share different toilets but I doubt it works because in the end, we share the same enclosed space in the car so what difference does it make?

I don't drive a convertible which would allow us lots of breathing space. Unlimited I would say.

So we can only fend ourselves with vitamin c, self medication (for me) and more sleep. We practically slept in on Sunday which I hardly do because Sundays are family days for me.

Anyway let's hope the darn bug leaves us alone because I hate to be sneezing and being left with a bloody runny nose.






.... hideKraM on the go ....

Location:Pasir Ris Street 52,Pasir Ris,Singapore

Luca-ma is Unwell.

Sandy's complaining she isn't well. Too much of heaty food over the weekend didn't fit right in her body system.

BBQ, steamboat and other tonic she consumed proved too much for her and the result - a stuffed nose and a sore throat befriended her.

Looks like she needs lots of rest as we are heading through the last trimester with only 50 days to go. It is getting more exciting now as the calender counts down to mid-May.

Luca is getting excited too as he pounds the Walls of Sandy's womb as if to say ' Daddy! Mummy! Let me out!' but we know the time isn't right yet. When he is ready, the doors will automatically open up for him. Not now at least. Perhaps I should teach him the virtue of patience.

The story reading continues on and in another 50 pages or more, the entire story would have been told. Hopefully my little prince stays awake and hears me narrating.

Now we have to gear up for sleepless nights and countless wailings because we know things will change once Luca arrives therefore let us enjoy the peace before it gets broken by Luca as he brings us bundles of joy. By the mere translation of his name, he will also be the giver of light to our family. We'll share endless and countless love, affection and happiness.





.... hideKraM on the go ....

Fun weekend (2)

Saturday morning and hell of a lot of things to do.

Preparation for family BBQ and shopping for Luca's necessities at a baby fair.

We'll skip the BBQ preparation as that wasn't very exciting but the later part of the day made me aware that a new chapter of my life is going to begin. Soon.

We attended a baby fair and it was massively crowded but there wasn't a choice because you know how I bow down to the voice of authority right? I had to go any way. Henpecked.

So we walked and we shopped and we bought some items in preparation for Luca's arrival. Diapers , milk bottles, milk powder containers and 'tits'. Ha ha.

We also bought the little fella a stroller. Well, it was difficult convincing Sandy to purchase the stroller I so wanted as she being the authority had the final say thus we went with what she wanted. Who am I to argue given that she is so fierce?

So with big and small shopping carriers we braved the rain and into the car with a wallet that weighed less. A new adventure is about to begin and I am so looking forward to it. : )

Fun weekend (1)

It started right after work on Friday. Dinner and a long session of mahjong that lasted through the wee hours.

It has been ages since I sat down for a game of mahjong. A long commitment of 6 hours. I remember years ago, I was really fond of the game and could enjoy a seating of 15 hours of mahjong marathon. We could play from the afternoon till breakfast is delivered the next morning. Those were the days. Younger days.

I managed to also relive a little experience from my younger days by listening to the radio. Familiar tunes were heard on Class 95 where the melodies brought me back to school.

I remembered the times when I spent the night burning midnight oil preparing for exams. (Ok. No one believes this but I do staying awake at night to TRY studying but ending up listening to the dedications and music played on the airwaves.)

I relived those moments last night while the radio played tunes of the 90s. I was still young then. Playful. Ignorant. Naive.

So Friday night went on by.


.... hideKraM on the go ....

Good Friday

Funny how people approach me asking which day Good Friday is.

I sometimes wonder if it is a trick question or could it be a serious issue of not understanding what Good Friday is.

So if Good Friday fell on a Monday then which day would Easter Monday be?




.... hideKraM on the go ....

60 days countdown ...

Sandy has been complaining about a strained back and it is hurting her quite badly. It can be quite a funny sight to see her walk with her hands to her back but ultimately it saddens me to see how much mothers go through when expecting.

 

I am blessed that at least Sandy does not have weird midnight cravings of food nor has her temper worsen. Well, maybe a little more irritating than before but still manageable.

 

Luca now weighs approximately 1.5 kilograms and has put on more weight than expected. His legs still looking long like mine and very active in the womb.

 

He seems to respond by kicking and punching hard when I speak to him through the womb. I wonder how I sound like to him. It must be rather muffled when he hears my voice.

 

Sometimes I wonder if he understands the story I read to him every night. Maybe I chose the wrong book for him but never mind, another 60 more pages to go and by then Luca should pop. : )

 

He gets more active at night and Sandy and I are worried that his sleeping patterns is a reverse from ours because he chooses to stay inactive or asleep when Sandy's at work. Wouldn't that mean we will have to lose sleep next time? Uh oh!!

 

 

According to the Chinese calender ...

... Today is my Chinese birthday and I didn't even know about it. How silly of me.

It gets confusing having to switch calenders and remembering different days and months. Why can't it be universal?

I missed a good excuse to celebrate and all I had for my meals were homemade sandwich, mee hoon kuey and a whole fried chicken. A consolation that I had a whole chicken to myself.

For the past many years, it'll always be huge feasts but what to do? I was silly not to realize it is my birthday.

Sandy is cutting apples for me now at 10 pm so that I can complete the meals with 'dessert'.

I feel rather silly now.

.... hideKraM on the go ....

Migrate.

Have you ever thought of migrating? Perhaps to seek greener pastures elsewhere?

I sometimes ask myself if I can ever make such a move. Can I find the courage to migrate and leave everything I have built behind? Family, friends and familiar environment.

I don't think I can. Just thinking of it makes me want to cry. Big cry baby aren't I?

A good friend and his family is migrating to Sydney in about a week's time and he too asked himself if it is the right move. No one knows but from the look on his face, he is unsure if the decision is right.

Only time can tell.

I cannot really recall how our paths crossed but he is one person whom has taught me a lot. He invited me to a number of seminars and has often urged me on when I face difficulties along life's journey.

After next week, I really wonder when we'll meet again. 3 years later?

I look forward to our next meeting years later and I wish him and his family all the best and I am sure the decision made to migrate is for the good of his family.

Good luck mate.



.... hideKraM on the go ....

Affairs of the heart.

Just yesterday the whole of Singapore started wagging their tongues discussing about the scandal between Jack Neo, local veteran film director and his 22 year old mistress.

I too joined in the gossip.I am after all a Singaporean who enjoys watching the films that the comedian turned director's movies.

Now, let me ask. Is affair a sin? Of course. What were you thinking? But temptations are everywhere. I won't ever dare say I can resist temptation because the heart falters every once in a while.

Professional golfer Tiger Woods recently appeared in the papers for all the wrong reasons. Scandals, affairs and an addiction. What's new? These are the best news makers.

So if Mark gets into an affair will it create such ripples? Forget it. I am no celebrity. And I have no money for such a hobby. At least that's what I can state if asked for now but if I became successful and rich using my own hands? I don't dare guarantee.

So what is an affair? An affair is often a triangle relationship or maybe more. A square or hexagon is also considered. It can involve four,five or six persons too. ; )

Let's not get too serious with this affair thingy. My point is this. It takes both parties to be involved in an affair. It is not the responsibility of either one but surely both thus pointing fingers and blaming only the male specie is wrong.

Yes. Men often succumb to temptations and women have better self control. Like a friend used to tell me " men think not with their brains but with their dicks." So women, if you want to put the blame on men for failed relationships or extra marital activities, first think if you have treated your man nice because the dick can never think straight. Ha ha ha.



.... hideKraM on the go ....

Young again.

Been ages since I took a swing up in the air, swaying it forward then backwards thus seeing my two younger brothers doing what they are bad at, I decided to join them at the playground to teach them the right swing.

None of us had any rights to remain on a playground but we did anyway. After all, no kids were in the way. Only us.

I don't really recall pushing my brothers from the back while they sat on the swing when they were younger but it was absolutely fun to have them go up in the air laughing at how high they were. I was afraid I used too much strength which will send them flying to the nearest canal.

Like I mentioned in previous posts, I regretted not being able to grow up with them and being much of their childhood during my teenage years. All I did was chase skirts and hung out with friends whom I hardly see nowadays. Well, those were the days where parties were more important than family activities.

Never mind. I am sure I would have more sibling time with this two chaps even when Luca pops because they will be the ones who would entertain Luca while I carry on my duty to entertain my folks. ; )














hideKraM on the go ....

70 days more.

In appoximately 70 days, I will be the father of my first son, Luca
Chong.

I guess you probably got bored hearing about my excitement but trust
me, the emotions run wild when it's your first.

Look at Sandy and how she is growing. Her legs are swollen and often
complain about her aching back. I can only hear her complain but can't
help much. The normal process of any mother.