2023 Nov 10th
This time last year, I attempted to journal my thoughts and feelings about turning 30....and ended up with nothing, in spectacular fashion. So, this time around, i thought that perhaps penning down the "now" is more fruitful, and more importantly, meaningful, than reminiscing and recording the "past", if I'm ever going to step boldly into the future.
I guess the night before would be a good place to start. Spending quality time, as always, with Florence, with taro milk tea and lemon aiyu (she emphasizes, again, on the white pearls which she can't do without), some heavenly wasabi almond, and meeting the parents?! Yeah, that gave me mini palpitations...as well as Florence's birthday wish for me, on the dot, first of the day, with a big, warm, cozy hug which i didn't want to let go. But, as always, i did, which i hope her parents appreciate.
Then came the day. Texts came in... First it was a couple, then it was a lot. Even had Hannah's mistaken a-day-earlier text which has sincerely written but could have been more...timely? Apt? Dad, friends, old and new, cell, uni, even this soup kitchen place i volunteered at 3 years ago? I was never one to take birthday texts seriously on both giving and receiving ends, but thinking about the strength that words can hold and their power to affirm and encourage, maybe it's not such a bad idea to entertain the thought of birthday texts after all. The night before, i got rudely awakened by a nightmare involving me, some friends on a dark hill, and my departed mum which ended up having me up at 5am having more palpitations and thoughts of premonition...but God always has a way, and this time it was some slow, soothing, worship music.
Fast forward to being awake. We exchanged ideas, me and Florence, of what to gift the fam...we went from egg tarts from Foo Hing to some gelato from ss15. My gosh the pistachios....i hope the rest will love it. Packed my laptop, headphones, the 25 key midi keyboard, made some decaf earl grey tea, and headed over. More palpitations, but the excited kind! Aunty Carol and Florence greeted me from the door, and aunty exclaimed that she finally got to see me (and me, worrying about how she felt during that moment and was she in pain), but she did not show or her expressions gave nothing away...none at all. I insisted for a hug, put down my backpack, and instantly was given the best hospitality that I've experienced in awhile; food, drinks, fruits, tea, and later on Priscilla who brought back peach strudels from Kenny Hills which were so, so good...and while being fed and quenched, Mr Chew came back and we talked for abit....hometown, city girls, village girls, China, kids, new pair of Salomon's, me being on the slim side (I'm still working on it)... Until they went out to get dinner at 5, to beat the traffic. Florence did mentioned the love that her parents have got each other, despite the challenges of a marriage, and when aunty got changed into a beautiful blue dress and uncle his outfit, fresh out of the shower, with his new pair of shoes, i got to see first hand of how love is bound in challenges, both in time and also in its nature, and how it can be the astoundingly rewarding force that it is in a family.
So we worked on our stuff, me on my music, Florence on her spreadsheets, stacked bar charts, and a call...and by almost 6 we were out to grab some dinner. And boy did we grab some mighty fine dinner; dug out nuts, portioned chicken because, some parts of a chicken are too much work, curry, fried brinjals....KUMI, we will be back, just you wait. We were stuffed, borderline poisoned, and wanted a stroll...but decided to head over to see cats because traffic is not kind to felines. Three rounds of detours were all it took to finally step into the feline sanctuary, and Florence finally embraced the fact that cats indeed like being around her and they are not the little devils that she thought them to be... Except for that one who pawed me out of PTSD, that's why you don't condone bullying, btw. She was wearing white shoes, torn jeans, a uniqlo discount red white striped crop top...which surprisingly piqued the curiosity of th. Black, Bengal, white...there were a lot, and my gosh Kylo Ren you beautiful black beast with the cutest eyes turn me to the dark side already! Hunter, oh Hunter...you proved Florence an important point today, and i for one, will appreciate you for the rest of time...at least the times where cats are being spoken of in context. Cats...ah cats. We then went window shopping for abit, shoes and shirts and such, checked out pretty good looking linen overshirts, and will prolly check them out again in the near future.
Even more cats when we caught the marvels in beanie. I did get to keep Florence warm on the cuddled side, save one branch, which is ultra comfy, but man do people get too comfy sometimes... note to check for weird stains, or even better, to not choose beanie for subsequent cinema visits. Marvels had a pretty interesting concept based off a Bell's theorem on light...which i think brings to light then properties of two separate atoms, when "connected", displays similar action reactions, even at a considerable distance.... hence the teleporting. Well, it ended well, and it was well worth it, despite a dead arm which resurrected sometime after.
Drove home, talked about sleeping in unfamiliar places, driving when sleepy, and eventually, dropped Florence home, and home myself. Orion was high in the skies again, and that was when i decided to really pen down my thoughts, because this time around, i think it worthy to lay in words for this Alzheimer's prone brain to reflect upon. Love is truly a driving force, and I'm truly content, excited, humbled and joyous of more stargazing, movies, trips, drives, to come.
A birthday to commemorate, not because of outstanding importance, but of appreciation of important things in the simplest form; to look back, be reminded, and to do life in the valleys and in the mountains to come.
