The funny thing about siblings

You know how it is when you're well-meaning, and it kinda gets thrown back in your face. Throughout most of our childhood, she has always been the more endearing one, and I will be the first to admit that it's true most of the time. But sometimes, (I guess we all do have our off days), she can turn really prickly, and it's always a nasty surprise for the person at the other end of the phone.

I guess it teaches me not to call her before an assignment is due the next day. ;p

In other happier news, I'm so excited about CNY!! (My other favourite festive season is Christmas..:)) Some people dread meeting relatives they only see a few times a year - perhaps they hate having to answer painfully awkward questions and/or defending their lifestyle choices. But I'm actually looking forward to meeting my relatives. Sure, dysfunction runs throughout the entire Ooi/Khoo clan, but "normal" would be too boring right? And anyway, anyone who has ever watched a soap will know that it's the "normal" families that are the ones with all the crazy secrets.

As I grow older, I actually begin to enjoy all the inane conversations that take place. Ah chek and gugu will talk about politics and conditions of the Singapore property market. Liu gu will tell us all about his latest business venture and announce the accomplishments of his kids. K jie jie will be busy tending to her bundle of joy, who will inevitably be fighting over the Wii with Ian. (These 2 kids are so adorable! They are 1 year apart, but an entire generation separates them.:)) Mum and Ah yi will discuss the latest K-drama they're addicted to. Sometimes Liu Chek will play the CNY DVD given out by the temple he goes to (yeah, very hi-tech right!), and just for laughs, we'll watch it and have a good chuckle about the "fengshui master's" predictions about the coming new year. There's always an abundance of good food, and since we're mostly legal, great drinks as well. ;p

Some may dismiss all this as the plebeian, mundane on goings of a typical Singaporean family, but I suspect these people also think "warm and fuzzy" is a cliche that doesn't happen in real life.

This was such a joyful weekend I felt like I had to make a post about it. Encouraged. :)

Campus Retreat, Spring 2009


Our awesome log cabin in the woods. They were pure play cabins, so none of those silly heating systems that city folk like. Woke up at 4 am from the sound of my teeth chattering in the bunk.


With Kiara. This girl's morning ritual is...amazing. ;p


Ever seen 274 people gather around and try to play dodgeball? Go Philly! (I, unfortunately, had to sit out due to a minor skiing accident from the previous weekend. But that has to be reserved for another post.)


The Hampton Road sisters! Meeting 34942 new people is on of the things I love about Retreats. There were Michael-Cera-in-Juno types, people with tattoos and multiple piercings, aspiring rappers, sports jocks, goth kids...all sorts of people, but with a commonality amongst them. :) It was amazing to just hang out with all these people and listen to the lessons.


On the road with the resident clown. I don't think I've heard a white boy do such an uncanny impression of a black gospel singer before. The four of us had a crazy time in the car. (Discounting all the times I peaced out after stuffing myself.)

By His grace, all this was possible. I don't know about the others, but I was encouraged. Now it's time to get to the living it out part. :)

Yet another awesome Sunday, Amen.

Was pretty discouraged in the morning, cos I witnessed a caustic little argument between my parents and realized that my father can be a difficult man to be married to. And when I got to church, things were a little frenetic and people were generally irritable. (Mostly due to feeling sick I suppose) But then I heard an absolutely cutting lesson from ZQ, and I'm thankful that there are always people who really give it to be and tell me what I need to hear, although I don't necessarily want to hear it.

ZQ started off by asking if we think God meant to deny certain things from us, by giving us so much, but yet forbid us from eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then he said that as much as God loves us, there are certain things he reserves for Him and only Him to define for us - mainly the prerogative to define our moral framework, to give a truly universal definition of Good and Evil, because we obviously don't know how - as evident from all the wars people are fighting over controversial issues, where each side thinks they are doing the "right" and "good" thing. Then he just said that we are so stubborn in living our lives in our own terms that we don't want to follow God's will for us.

Man. Just what I did NOT want to hear. Since I've been pretty much self-absorbed and neglecting other people. Timely reminder indeed.

Cookies were generally well received, save from a brief moment when I caught someone trying very hard to bite into one. Ahem, since I baked them in different batches, some were unfortunately not up to standard. Hee. Ohwell, there were some good ones from the other batches though! ;p

Then I headed to Ahyi's house for Simin jie's 21st Birthday Celebrations. Woot! Had sooo much fun just catching up with my cousins, cooing and fussing around my newborn nephew, getting advice about stuff, listening to my uncles talk shop and of course, stuffing my face silly. :p On the menu: Ee-fu noodles (good!), Cereal prawns (juicy!), Breaded fish (good!), mango pudding (sweet!) and other stuff. Generally had a good time just letting my hair down, talking about girly stuff (boyfriends, or the lack thereof (but we agreed that we are generally nonplussed about that:)), hair, shopping, traveling, studies, work). I like my extended family (well, most of them anyway...). And Daddy managed to coax Mummy with some very shiny birthday presents. ;p

Ok, back to prepping for tomorrow's presentation :)

The MMIS Competition is taking up waaay too much of my time. But there's Manitoba the fishing and whaling village to look forward to at the end of all this :)
(Is whaling even legal anymore?!?)

Anyway, been feeling bouts of blueness this last couple of days - a feeling I haven't had in a longlong time. But you know, one can't always be bursting at the seams with joy. Such is life, deal with it constructively and move on.

In happier news, have been fantasizing about the Philly holiday us three girls are going to embark on next year. My mom and sister are coming along with me for 2 weeks before term starts to help me "settle down". Whee! Which means Mummy gets to go on a long-deserved holiday!!! The woman needs to take a break and go off to see the world. I'm going to stuff her in walking shoes and we're gonna roam New York City - the Bronx, Flushing (American style Hainanese Chicken Rice! Mummy says smart people in America sell chicken rice), Brooklyn, Greenwich (Gay art! Haha, will get S to compare with her fav Victorian style:p). (I also suggested to stuff the both of them in YMCA to save on hotel fees so we can splurge on food, but we'll see about that) Note to self: Must plan itinerary such that sister will not have spare time to shop, since we all know how uncontrollable she gets upon catching a whiff of whatever silly brand she's into. Personally, I much prefer to spend moolah on good food rather than some bag which will go out of season the moment the temperature changes.

In slightly related news, I discovered that I will be spending a very lonely 21st birthday in Philly, away from everyone at home :( 21 is a lonely number indeed. This time round, will make sure I successfully contact the Philly church before I go so that I won't be so lost when I'm eventually there. :S

The work is really starting to flood in, and this week is the craziest yet, if my organizer provides any reliable forecast of my week's activities, my day will officially end at 9 pm on 2 days, and 11 pm on 3 days. :(

Ok, time to get back to those essays!