We’ve come a long way baby…

shenando — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:58:03 +0000

It’s been what… 15 years?
Yup. 15 years since I received it. A Discman.
A monstrosity compared with today’s fancy media players, this grey chunk of melded plastic and metal sports a remote that has a backlight.
My mom broke the bank to get it for my birthday. She was newly widowed and worked at a $18 a day job. It would take her 3 weeks of wages to pay for something considered as a luxury at that time.
I had one CD. Given to me by my aunt. It was a compilation of songs reperformed by Emil Chau. 小天堂 was the title. My classmate asked me, perhaps mockingly, whether I listen to other songs. I said no.
I had one disc.
It would take more than a day’s wages to buy a new one.
I looked at my classmate with shame… Yes shame. Why was it that I did not have one other, just one other CD.
Truly, when I though back on those days, I wonder if it was teen angst or whatever that made me hate all that was worth so much. I never told anyone. But I hated that my father had left us. That my mom had to work so hard to bring us up. Not having money for stuff we do not need.
In actual fact we were blessed. That he was released from years of wasting away in pain. That my mom was brave enough to reenter the work force unskilled. That we had our closest relatives supporting us, both financially and emotionally.
My music player is on shuffle. It just happened that 小天堂 came on and I have this reenactment going through in my mind.
I was reminded that this is the time of reflection and planning. Do not forget to see how far you have come.
Things that I am not, a financially free, high flying, power suited, career centric jet setter, should not be ignored lest one forgets his dreams.
Things that I am. Complete me.
I believe dinner at Orchard tonight with my wife, mother and aunt would be extra tasty.

The Proposal

shenando — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:12:15 +0000

Originally Posted on 16th July 2008

“Meishan, will you marry me?””Get up you silly pork! Don’t embarrass me here!”

“I won’t until you answer me properly!”

“Aiyo… Yes lah yes lah!”

“Yes what?”

“Yes I will marry you!”

There was I, kneeling on the cold sand in the middle of St Kildas Beach, Melbourne, Australia, proposing to my girlfriend of 5 years. It was a sunny, yet cold day – 13 degrees it was on the Celsius scale.

It was evident that she was touched. She had never expected me to have bought the rings. Proven from the fact that she had prodded me into jewelry chains multiple times during the last 2 months. Asking me to look at rings. Painful time for me as she has expressed that there were nicer designs elsewhere.

There was even once that she doubted that I would buy the rings to propose marriage. But I held my ground and did not divulge the secret.

Kein was the person who had thought of such a plot. Along the way he had sent me samples of photographs and satellite images of the place that we would be going to. He even engaged the President of the Photography Club – Chandra to take the pictures. It is with my most sincere thanks to Kein that the entire thing was a success.

I had the jitters for weeks before the actual event itself. Whenever I thought about the coming overseas trip, I would start to feel nervous and exhilarated at the same time. I was worried that it will not go well. What if it rains? What if I forget the rings? What if I want to change my mind?

Yes I thought of that. Why did I though? I questioned myself on my purposes of a proposal. Did I do it so that I can have free sex for the rest of my life? Unlikely, since being in a marriage is harder than anything else I know of.

I realized my proposal was due to many different reasons all cumulating to a single consequence. I love this woman. I admit that finding a soul mate in this crazy world and worse, society is a real hard task and that I may be the most blessed man to have found one. I wanted to recognize that this is the point where we have decided to commit to each other and to Him. I wanted her to know that she means a lot to me for me to want to do this. I wanted her to be able to tell her friends that I proposed at a place that shall always be in her heart. I needed to do it proper so we can move on to the next stage in our love live – marriage.

It was a happy occasion, a day when the seagulls flew easily on the strong winds. A day when the yachters adjusted their sails to match the currents. Where the penguins came out to meet the swans.

A perfect day for a proposal.