twentyfive-ish thoughts

Sometimes, you just need to take a short break.

Second time in that house.

Second time with a casket. He left three years ago. This time, it’s his wife.

It’s the memories that I recall when I stand there. The elderly, heartwarming grins of both husband and wife. Not as frail as you would have thought, as they stood side by side watching Life and her lessons.

I’m not sure if anyone will remember. I’m not sure if there would be anything to forget when the next time comes.

Two days into 2010, and I’ve realised that Life is all about making choices. We’re made aware of the available choices – with some tossing a coin to pass on the burden of actually making a conscious choice – and we try to make the choice that benefits us the most, and affects others around us the least.

Maybe there’s just no way of ever being certain that the one way you choose is the absolute way. More often than not, when you seek advice on making choices, you’ve already decided, and you’re just waiting to hear the agreement to back your choice up.  I’ve got to move on from depending on people’s comments and make the best out of what I’ve decided to go with, and have fun. Life is too short.

Just like how I decided to have Eggs Benedict (yum!) and Eggs Florentine (double yum!) this week to kickstart 2010. What a choice!

You know how these days, it feels like half of Singapore is at Orchard Road? Well, the other half is at East Coast Park. And they’re doing what they do best: (1) walk really slowly, (2) cycle haphazardly & (3) ring the damn bell incessantly.

Just like Pavlov’s dog, I hear the bell and my bicycle takes on a life of its own and starts wobbling. Despite the perpetual state of anxiety, I managed 16.3km and got to see a gorgeous part of my country that I never gave it credit for.

Weirdly placed pine trees with gorgeous blue skies – such a pleasure to look at.

To have a memorable wedding day, I believe you just need to let things go.

No point being a timekeeping, stressed-out and ‘for the last time, where is it?!’ Bridezilla (such an ugly word), causing the make up to crease along the laugh lines of your face, and catching your jie meis frowning at your demands.

No point having more than one outfit for the evening because everyone just wants to wish you well, not see how you managed to starve yourself for the past month just to fit into ’such a gorgeous dress’.

No point having a 9-course meal that starts later than stipulated. I think tardiness needs to be smacked. Fashionably late is out of fashion.

What I’m always keen on is listening to the thank you speech that the bride and groom have prepared. Will they pepper their words with cliches, will they choke on their tears, and will any friend brave enough step up on stage to give a toast to them? From all the weddings I’ve been to, I realise I would love having a ‘live’ band/singer, and do away with the yam seng session, just smile my night away.

My December is tied up with everyone’s red strings. More observations next time.