Alden's Birthday!

Hey Dear,

Today we celebrated Alden's 1st Birthday at Novotel Hotel... The birthday boy is so cute lor and he's growing and learning fast! He was mumbling "mumm mumm" while being fed. Before long he'll be toddling around.. it'll be fun!

Was busy the whole week so did not have time during the week to buy him present...but this morning I rushed down to Toy R'Us at Vivo to buy him a BIG present. It's a learning set that allows him to sit on a musical chair while he plays around with the knobs, buttons which plays music, sound and story-telling. I am sure you'll like it as well... so it's our birthday gift to Alden's first birthday.

Peili and Huibin got him lots of balloons and a numeral 1 shaped cake:

Little prince cutting his birthday cake with a little help from the parents

Lil' piece of the b'day cake.. lychee flavour..yummy..

And I get to carry him! But he's clearly "disturbed".. hehe he's not used to unfamiliar faces carrying him... (must be fast and catch him off guard I was told)

Dear, I'm sure you're reminiscing all these fond moments with us...

Welcome Back Mr McDonald

Over the years we'd watched quite a number of Japanese movies together. Your interest in the Japanese language, culture, food, movies, basically anything Japanese, has indeed rubbed off me. Like you, I come to realise that a good Jap movie always have a strong storyline that captivates the audience rather than the actors & actresses.

And in the earlier years, most of the Jap shows that we'd watched were at the Old Picturehouse. Old timers like me will remember the Orange Julius restaurant at one corner.

Some of the shows that we'd watched there: Sada, Love Letters, Welcome Back Mr McDonald....

Welcome Back Mr McDonald? Not many people know about this show released in 1997:
A late-night live broadcast of a radio drama begins with none of the cast or crew being pleased with the project. When the lead actress Nokko Senbon decides she won't play her role unless she's allowed to change her character's name, the whole cast eventually insists on changing various parts of the play to their liking. This begins a chain of events that completely changes every aspect of the story and requires the entire staff to participate in completing the drama, all while live on the air.


We both like it... and last week I suddenly thought about this show and managed to find the DVD on sale at ebay. Just received it yesterday and I'm watching it again as I write... reliving the good old days.. Dear let's watch it together again.

豆花油条

好累好累啊。眼睛通红，快张不开了。要睡咯，明天又要早起。。。

刚刚放工后，在车里突然想吃豆花，油条，就索性到吾槽豆花，吃了吃豆花油条，过过瘾。

还好啦，辛苦了一天，有好吃的，值得。所以说，辛勤工作之余，有时也要宠一宠自己，不然真的会疯掉。。。

Rainbow....

!@#$%^, tell u what, there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Anyways, should not complain as I long expected the outcome.

The project is named "Rainbow" and the system called "Eclipse"..yeah right, what a name to call a system.. in ancient times when there is Eclipse, "chickens will fly and dogs will jump"..... the world will be engulfed by darkness... that actually happened this morning at work.

So many teething issues today... actually the challenge only starts now; how to solve the issues as soon as possible.

So so tired now, was back in office on Sat till Sun morning (2am?).. sigh cant join the guys to watch soccer... Nengjie called while I was in office.. told him that I was still busy. But everyone was back, bosses bought pizza, ice cream, chips etc for us ... not so bad...

Was back in office on Sun again (after a few hours of sleep) till afternoon, preparing for the system implementation on Mon when all the frontliners reach office to start work...

Starting to have gastric pain due to the irregular meal hours.. had my lunch at 4pm today, just had dinner now close to midnight.

As you've always wanted me to chant out loud in the morning "Today will be a better day".. Yup indeed.. really hope that today will be a better day (past midnight liao)

《禮儀師の奏鳴曲》Departures

离别。。。一提起离别，总是带着几许的悲伤，惆怅。从来没想过你会比我先行一步。

记得我们看了《禮儀師の奏鳴曲》Departures 之后，谈到离别这无聊的课题。我们俩的见解是一致的。我情愿我比你先走，因为我们俩都认为在这方面，你会比我坚强，会比我更能走出离别的阴影，比较能更快地站起来，从新面对现实的挑战。

真的吗？我多么希望，现在得回答这问题的人是你，不是我。。。也许我们俩是对的。现在的我还是不能接受这残酷的事实，还徘徊在离别的阴影，旋转在忧伤的漩涡。

想着想着，又再回想起最近发生的一切的一切。。。我又失眠了。。。已经开始习惯失眠的困惑。不能睡，没精神？不要紧，没事的。。。只要第二天能够醒来，已经是一种恩赐了。。。

借戏里面的一句，“总有一天我们要送别他人，也有一天要被人送别”。。。被人送别，对我来说其实是两者当中比较幸运的选择。

Les choristes

Hey Dear,

Remember this french movie which we watched in 2005? Just realised from wikipedia that it was incidentally released on 17 Mar, your birth date.

Remember that you were inspired by the movie; how the music teacher Clément Mathieu who against all odds organised a choir out of a group of "misfits". Movie starts with the wildly successful orchestra conductor Pierre Morhange recollecting his childhood inspirations through the pages of a diary kept by his old music teacher.

I am sure many years down the road, there would also be students of yours, recollecting how you've inspired them...

Attaching one of the scenes from the movie, where the kids were singing "La Nuit".. if i'm not wrong it's "the Night" in English (still remember a bit of french from my one year of french lesson in Uni). C'est manifique...

Dear Dear... Bonne Nuit.. Je'taime...

清明

清明，是细雨纷纷吗？
今天，可风和日丽喔！
人潮川流不息，车水马龙，
四周停着车子，站着心情各异的人们。
祭品推陈出新，琳琅满目，
到处放了食物，排着各式各样的祭品。
人们庄严地祭拜，表达了对已故之人的思念。
大家轻轻地祈拜，抒发了对往生之人的留恋。
今年的这一天，从此的这一天，我会以同样的方式来和你见面。
总有那么一天，直到那么一天，我会以另一种方式再和你见面。
安息吧，我疼惜的老婆，
再别了，我挚爱的老婆！

轻轻的我走了，不带走一片云彩

今天读到了徐志摩著名的《再别康桥》:

轻轻的我走了，
　　正如我轻轻的来；
　　我轻轻的招手，
　　作别西天的云彩。
　　那河畔的金柳，
　　是夕阳中的新娘；
　　波光里的艳影，
　　在我的心头荡漾。
　　软泥上的青荇，
　　油油的在水底招摇；
　　在康河的柔波里，
　　我甘做一条水草！
　　那榆阴下的一潭，
　　不是清泉，是天上虹；
　　揉碎在浮藻间，
　　沉淀着彩虹似的梦。
　　寻梦？撑一支长篙，
　　向青草更青处漫溯；
　　满载一船星辉，
　　在星辉斑斓里放歌。
　　但我不能放歌，
　　悄悄是别离的笙箫；
　　夏虫也为我沉默，
　　沉默是今晚的康桥！
　　悄悄的我走了，
　　正如我悄悄的来；
　　我挥一挥衣袖，
不带走一片云彩。

特别喜欢诗的前后两句。。。不知不觉地，心里又涌现了与你离别的悲伤，感慨万分。
===================================================
悄悄地，你走进了我的世界，也悄悄地，你夺走了我的心房。
为我那灰暗无色的黑白世界，上了色彩。
为我那寂静无声的单调心灵，谱了乐曲。
带来了心灵渴望的寄托，希望，喜悦，憧憬。

悄悄地，你离开了我的世界，也悄悄地，你粉碎了我的心灵。
让我那风平浪静的现实生活，蒙上阴影。
让我那幸福洋溢的美满爱情，划上句号。
放逐了内心潜在的恐惧，空虚，寂寞，失落。

人生的喜怒哀乐，酸甜苦辣，瞬时间我尝到了
人情的爱恨冷暖，悲欢离合，冥冥中我悟到了
我的人生？
人，有体却无魂。心，有灵却无情。
我的心境？
歌，有词却无曲。画，有线却无色。
我的现在？
尝到的，忘记了滋味。拥有的，失去了价值。
我的将来？
环绕的，失去了重心。渴望的，失去了意义。
===================================================
老婆，我不应该为你的离去，蒙上悲伤的色彩。
你的离别虽是可惜，也无怨无悔,
你的人生虽是短暂，也不枉此生。
你的过去与未来，永远是灿烂的,
你的到来与离去，其实是潇洒的。
恰是你悠然一面，向伊人倾诉,
仿佛你回眸一笑，向世人呼唤：

《轻轻的我走了，
　　正如我轻轻的来；
　　我轻轻的招手，
　　作别西天的云彩。
悄悄的我走了，
　　正如我悄悄的来；
　　我挥一挥衣袖，
不带走一片云彩。》

农历华人生日

华人农历二月十七。。你的农历华人生日。妈前几天已经再三提醒我，要记得为你庆祝华人生日。可是今天因为公司的事务多，我不能请假，只能一大早到福海禅寺陪你一会儿。之后又得匆匆忙忙赶回公司上班，不能和你多聊一些，对不起老婆。。。

昨天，妈特地搭巴士到大伯母介绍的一家专卖斋糕饼的饼家买了一个斋蛋糕。今天一大早，她又到附近的咖啡店买了一大堆斋料理。。。有饭，米粉，豆花，春卷，蒸菜，苹果，橙，包，豆腐等等。哇好丰富喔。老婆，妈为你准备的这些料理和蛋糕，你喜欢吗?

回想起平时，妈每隔几天都会提早打电话，问我们是否有空回家吃饭。她每次都特地准备些我们喜欢吃的菜，燉对我们身体有益的汤。你也很会讨妈的欢心，常说她煮的菜很好吃。她也总是说如果我们喜欢的话可以常常回家吃饭，不必在外吃没营养的食物。对一个家庭主妇来说，照料好一家人的起居饮食是她引以为荣的责任；是她对我们关心的一种方式吧！

上完班回家后，想起妈为你的生日忙了一个早上，又不能送她回家就赶去上班，有点过意不去。看到她房里的灯还亮着，想走进去和她聊一会儿，对她说声谢谢。推开房门，看到她已经睡了。。。可能是今天忙了一下，有点累吧。。。妈，谢谢你，谢谢你为慧琳所做的一切。。。

Happy Ever After

=========================================================
Taking a few lines out of Julia Fordham's classic:

Don't ask me why I'm running out of laughter
There's tears in these eyes, not happy ever after
And I thought it was plain to see
And I thought the whole world could be
And I thought we'd be happy ever after.

You could say that I'm living in a pipe dream
It's just looking back, things are never what they seem
And I hope I can safely say
And I hope most things go my way
And I hope they'll be happy ever after.
========================================================

And I thought we'll be happy ever after
And I do hope it's all just a dream
And I do hope things will go our way
And I do hope when I wake up
Everything will be fine and
We'll be happy ever after...

Happy Birthday Huibin!

Hihi Dear,

Today is Huibin's birthday, I'm sure you'd remember her birthday and wish her well!

Was looking through some of our old photos and found a few nice ones which you took with her during our Japan trip in 2007. It was one of our most enjoyable trips.. the fantastic winter weather, the wonderful stay at the Ryokan, the nice food we had and you happily shopping with Huibin while Peili kept me company. Yeah...


Memories... we've lots of wonderful memories together. You'll forever hold a special place in our hearts.

Let's give our birthday greetings to our lovely lil' sister aka your shopping mate, image consultant, confidante... Happy Birthday, Huibin!

小圈圈

在这繁华的现代社会里，住着很多很多，自我约束，压制着情绪，忘了自我的人们。他们自己真正想要的，想做的，知道吗？自己觉得重要的，真的那么重要吗？===========================================================
小的时后，大人为他们画了小圈圈。
“要听话哟，这样做是为你好的，以后你就知道了”
“这间学校好，要好好读书，长大后才有出息。。。”

长大后，他们都替自己修饰了这一直跟在身边的小圈圈。
“不能这么做，这么做，大家都觉得不对，应该。。。。”
“这份工作不错，这间屋子好，这辆车好酷。。。”
“我这样做会伤害到别人的感受，不行。。。”

随着岁月的成长，这小圈圈应该会变大，不是吗？长大后，有了经济基础，多了自由，有了规划自己人生的能力，想做什么，就做什么，不是吗？

要踏出这无形的小圈圈，能吗？容易吗？
===========================================================
在一个很远很远的地方，住着一些无忧无虑的人们。 在那里，没有世俗的压力与成见，没有庸庸碌碌的人生，没有对生活变化无常的惘然。圈圈？你在那里吗？

彩虹，工作？

Mad World

Hey dear, Here's another song that we both like after watching the soulful rendition by Adam Lambert. (the original version by Tears for Fears is too obiang liao)


===========================================================
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world mad world

Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world ... world
Enlarge your world
Mad world

Visits From Dear Friends

Hey Hey Dear, Our dear old friends visited you today at Fook Hai Ch'An Shi... bringing well wishes to you on your birthday... Glad to see them right?!
Guowei, Caiyi, Nengjie, Miaoling, Binghong, Sharon, Guokun & Ah Bee...
It's so nice of them to take time off and specially make the trip down to visit you personally. Will treat them coffee/good food on your behalf.
And I'm sure all who knows you...your family members, relatives, friends,colleagues, students who fondly remember you, will celebrate your birthday with you in their own little ways.
Right now, you must be busy looking through the nice pressies, cards, flowers... munching away on the goodies.
And I'm sure in return, when you can...will help them fulfill their lil'wishes every now and then..
Take care our lil' guardian angel...

Happy Birthday My Dear Wifey!!

Hi Dear Dear,

12.00am....Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Dear Dear, Happy Birthday to you...

17th Mar... significant day in my life. Happy Birthday, My Lovely Wifey!

Make a wish...

Have gotten you a bouquet of your favourite lilies, chocolate, strawberry shortcake from Patiscream and a book. It's the latest by Xinran. Read on Sunday Times about the review and I'm sure you'd like it. You'd always been talking to me about the books that you read and how some authors had inspired you. I'll read this book too… we can always discuss it in our dreams.

And I've also written you a card... wrote you a very simple card last Valentines Day. This time round, like what you'd always done, I've written more...lines and lines of my feelings and words that I yearn to tell you personally. Read it when you're free... no rush.

Miss you much:)

《梦的延续》

在Karaoke里，你老公我，最喜欢，也一定唱的一首歌，就是张学友的《月半弯》。

很少人知道，这首歌的原唱，其实是玉置浩二（日本著名乐队，安全地带的主打歌手），歌名是《梦的延续》。

老婆，我把我最喜欢的歌献给我最爱的人，让你再一次听到在我车里常播的歌。。。《梦的延续》。。愿我们俩的梦想，缘份。。。能在另一个世界里延续下去。异度空间？来世？

夜深人静。失眠。一首歌。

我又睡不着了。你知道的，我最怕的，就是失眠了。
到youtube兜了一圈。看了看。。。想找些歌和你一起分享。
看到了一首动听的歌。很巧的，短片里也写了些代表了我现在心情的寄语。。。
《一个人的时候，很寂寞，很脆弱，就会想找人来陪伴。不知不觉，眼泪又流出眼眶》
你。。。
《只要能和你在一起，失去一切都不可惜》
老婆，喜欢吗？

生日卡。生日愿望。

三月十一日。十二点刚过。
刚刚和你一起庆祝完生日。现在的心情其实是复杂的，难以形容。开心？伤心？思念，平静。。。无所谓，无所求。。。
=====================================================
每年的今天，我都会期待收到你给我的生日卡片。你常常会问我最想要的生日礼物是什么。我的答案也都是一样的。。。生日卡。
每张生日卡，对我来说是无价的。字里行间，写着你给与我的鼓励，写着你要我认真对待生活的期望。
每一字，每一句，流露了你对我的爱，流露了你对我们俩未来美丽的憧憬。
=====================================================
明年的今天，我还是会像往年一样，期待着你的生日祝福，生日歌。
明年的今天，我依然会重温我们这一路来，经历的点点滴滴。
明年的今天，我还是会许同样的一个生日愿望。。。
我愿你永远永远的开心。。。 那我就心满意足了。其他的，对我来说已经是。。。无所谓了。。。

生日正

生日快乐！Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Dear Dear, Happy Birthday to you!!

谢谢你亲爱的老婆。今年又是你第一个为我祝贺生日！老婆最棒！我今年的生日愿望是。。。