Writings: Like Nectar To Bees

ABC

The ripeness of the fruit he beheld
In his hands together with maturity blend
The Seven Perfections of his soul
Make his imperfections wider known.
And count the blessings of the days
Melted like fire, shell and stone
And ripped the Heavens, torn apart
And gushed down the rain and torrent floods
Rippling the Earth on its shaky axis
Upon the Richter the numbers were infinitely lost
To the other assumptions of the world
To the material affectations of hearts bleeding asunder.

A solitary man on the edge of the world
And the ghosts of forces beyond and unknown
Is a frightening thing.

One- for clarity in its imminent omnipresence
The vision of One for future restrictions. Openness.

Two- for loving kindness bred of a gentle seedling
Planted in the solid soil of redemption.

Three- for equanimity in all relative things
Big and small, engendered with breathy longing
The wayward traveller seeks for his path of treasure.

Four- for detrimental beauty of equitable stature
The fleeting glimpses of naiads, burning with desire
The begrudging celestial body sparked mankind’s envy.

Five- for humour unaffected by worries of nature
Lightened through hazes of miraculous deceptions.

Six- for generosity dreamed up from cloudy smoke
For want of giving within the means of necessity.

Seven and all- for frankness of speech and redemption
For brilliance unrivalled by the pennies of dogma
For dreams of an untouched, unaffected heart.

The making of physical existence, countenance flushed
Was single-handedly atoned by a slattern-ish soul
Whose leaf had overturned the dreariness of lonesoneness?
The Seven Perfections they may be
And in themselves
Lie the Imperfections which make him whole.

I’ve been tagged by SL to join the Save the Bears, Save the World Meme.

I found out some astonishing things. That bears in China are being farmed for their bile, extracted from their gall bladders on a daily basis. Bear bile is one of the key ingredients in traditional chinese medicine and has been marketed as a treatment for a staggering array of human maladies, from cardiac illness to impotence to sore eyes. (I know, you’re thinking: gross out!) But it’s true. These poor creatures not only have to endure life in a tiny cage which doesn’t allow them the freedom to move around: they also have a permanent surgical implant or a catheter in their sides to allow the bile to be milked. This is a painful process. Bears have been seen chewing their paws, rattling the cages, writhing and moaning in pain during the milking process.

Once the bile has been completely milked, the bears are simply left to starve to death. In most cases, the bears die of infection and illness. Sometimes, the cruel farmers chop the bears’ paws off to sell them and leave the bears to bleed to death.

Animal Asia is seeking to stop this barbaric act. All you need to do is spread the word and tag your friends. Sponsor or pledge some money to a bear, if you like. Every little bit counts.

List yourself and your friends you have tagged here and add their permalinks (optional and pledges):

1. Pin Lean
2. Paul Lai
3. Pearl
4. Deborah
5. Peng Sze
6. Eric
7. Cheng Yi

I took a leaf out of SL’s blog and decided to do the Nerd Test, just because. Here’s what my score says about me:

When I was a little girl, a teenager and a young adult, I had a wish list for each stage of life I was passing through. Most times, what I wished for very material and/or superficial things, or things that would never be achieved save through hard work and perseverance. As a child, I wished for lots of toys, particularly Barbie dolls. I wished for a pink bicycle with pink handlebars and matching pink ribbon streamers flowing therefrom. I wished for a puppy. I wished for a wonderful birthday party with a huge sparkling birthday cake, a bran-tub with brightly-wrapped gifts and all sorts of fanciful games and goodies. My wishes came true, all of them, and I simply attributed it to my parents; i.e. if you wish hard enough, then your parents will make them come true. I’d forgotten all that until now, now that I am a parent and realize that the wishes which came true when I was a child, came true because I wished for the wrong things. Because I wished for material things, things that every parent would go out of their way to make sure their children got.

When I was 15, I wished I was prettier. I wished that I would have a boyfriend. I wished that I would do well in my exams. I wished that I wouldn’t have to go for my piano lessons every Monday afternoon (which lasted well into the evening!) because I was terrified of my piano teacher, who’d rap my knuckles smartly with a wooden ruler if I so much as released the curvature of my fingers on the smooth ivory keys of her Petrof. I wished that I was thinner. I wished that I hadn’t started shaving the hair off my legs because dammit, it was getting to be a chore to shave them every 2-3 days! Not all my wishes came true. I still went for my piano lessons right until I was 17, and finished Grade 8. I still had to shave my damn hairy legs every 2-3 days. However, I did well in my exams (my parents were terribly proud of me and considered me something of a genius, when actually, despite the As I scored, I was nowhere near the top 20 students in my school. But they’re my parents, I’ll give them that. Parents always think the best of their children, that they (the children) can do anything. I know what that is like now). I had my first boyfriend at 16. I even thought I started blossoming and began to look more attractive, and less chubby and childish. After all, I had a boyfriend, so that must also mean I got prettier and thinner!

Why did some of my wishes come true and the others didn’t? Because sometimes, in life, you are meant to do things you may not necessarily like, but which may serve you well later on. And because some of those wishes were meant to happen anyway. I just didn’t know it then. I’m still shaving my legs every 2-3 days these days, and I’m 31. The shaving that I started as a teenager, to fit in because everyone was shaving their legs and armpits, is now a life-long commitment on my part. I’m glad I never shaved my arms, because that would’ve doubled my time in the shower. So although I regret shaving my hairy legs, I’m also thankful that I never shaved my arms. As for my piano lessons, I’m glad for them because I wouldn’t have realized how much I loved music, if it wasn’t for them, and how easy it is to write songs with piano accompaniment. Because now, I can play on my trusty old Weinbach no matter how rusty or stiff my fingers feel and teach you the songs I loved so well as a child. Playing a piano is like riding a bicycle after a long time. You suddenly remember the fluidity of the movements in your fingers (legs) and allow your mind to overtake your heart, and suddenly, you’re free, flying and soaring in the air.

My wishes became more for “intangible” things as I grew older. Basking in young adulthood, rollicking in college and university, discovering drink & cigarettes, and embarking on my career, I wished for more money. I wished I was cooler. I wished I was prettier, thinner. I wished there were more hours in the day to cope with the amount of work I had. I wished that I hadn’t started on my Masters degree. I wished that I would meet the love of my life who would sweep me off my feet and marry me. I wished that my parents would understand me more and treat me less like a child. It was here that I realized my silly wishes would never come true.

And that as I grew older, I had to work hard to make my wishes come true. I could no longer depend on my parents to fulfill them at my whim and fancy. Some of them came true, some didn’t. My parents learnt to let go, but they were still my parents, and on hindsight, I thank God that they still treated me like a child then, worried all the time about my well-being, because if they didn’t, what would that mean? That they no longer loved me? That I was left to fend for myself in this world? They still worry about me this very day. How thankful I am for that now. I stopped smoking and drinking. I met my beloved husband, fell madly in love and we got married. Then we had a baby. And I see again how silly my wishes were.

Now I am 31 years old. All I wish for is for my child’s happiness, that she will grow into a sweet, kind and thoughtful young woman. I wish that my family will be contented and humbled by our love for each other. I wish that I will be able to provide for my child better as the years go by, I am working hard for our better tomorrow. I wish that I will mean as much to my baby as she does to me.

Whatever wish list you may have, your wishes are achievable. But you need to want them bad enough. And you need to work to make them come true. Remember that you are responsible for how you dream and map your life out to be. And that sometimes, it is ok even if all your wishes don’t come true, because that simply makes you more human to be flawed, than Godly and perfect.

I decided to do the Jung typology test a few months ago. Surprising results came up..! Here’s what my score said- I am the INFJ type: Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging. I am:

• moderately expressed introvert
• slightly expressed intuitive personality
• moderately expressed feeling personality
• moderately expressed judging personality

Below is a short write-up about INFJs:-

Introverted iNtuiting Feeling Judging

by Marina Margaret Heiss

INFJs are distinguished by both their complexity of character and the unusual range and depth of their talents. Strongly humanitarian in outlook, INFJs tend to be idealists, and because of their J preference for closure and completion, they are generally “doers” as well as dreamers. This rare combination of vision and practicality often results in INFJs taking a disproportionate amount of responsibility in the various causes to which so many of them seem to be drawn. (Me: *Cough” Well, I suppose I am talented to a certain extent. Modesty isn’t one of them. I’m surprised to know that I have a complex character. I’d always seen myself as the “what you see is what you get” type- transparent and rather straight. Responsibility: true enough. I tend to be a control freak in some way. Woe is the person who rearranges my books, or toiletries in the bathroom!) 

INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people — a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. (Me: You mean, I’ve been living a lie? That I’m not instinctively bubbly, cheery and extroverted? Who AM I?) On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious “soul mates.” While instinctively courting the personal and organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them, providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent “givers.” As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often misunderstood — particularly by those who have little experience with this rare type. (Me: Well, at least I’m rare and special. Can I also say, a dying breed?) 

Due in part to the unique perspective produced by this alternation between detachment and involvement in the lives of the people around them, INFJs may well have the clearest insights of all the types into the motivations of others, for good and for evil. The most important contributing factor to this uncanny gift, however, are the empathic abilities often found in Fs, which seem to be especially heightened in the INFJ type (possibly by the dominance of the introverted N function). (Me: Fancy words for saying that INFJs tend to be suckers?) 

This empathy can serve as a classic example of the two-edged nature of certain INFJ talents, as it can be strong enough to cause discomfort or pain in negative or stressful situations. More explicit inner conflicts are also not uncommon in INFJs; it is possible to speculate that the causes for some of these may lie in the specific combinations of preferences which define this complex type. For instance, there can sometimes be a “tug-of-war” between NF vision and idealism and the J practicality that urges compromise for the sake of achieving the highest priority goals. And the I and J combination, while perhaps enhancing self-awareness, may make it difficult for INFJs to articulate their deepest and most convoluted feelings. (Me: This is almost painful to read…) 

Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills (Me: A-ha! Is this a sign? That I could be the next promising writer to emerge…?) Since in addition they often possess a strong personal charisma, INFJs are generally well-suited to the “inspirational” professions such as teaching (especially in higher education) and religious leadership. Psychology and counseling are other obvious choices, but overall, INFJs can be exceptionally difficult to pigeonhole by their career paths. Perhaps the best example of this occurs in the technical fields. Many INFJs perceive themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with the mystique and formality of “hard logic”, and in academic terms this may cause a tendency to gravitate towards the liberal arts rather than the sciences. (Me: This is true. I think I’m an arts person through and through. Give me art, music and writing anytime any ol’ day). However, the significant minority of INFJs who do pursue studies and careers in the latter areas tend to be as successful as their T counterparts, as it is *iNtuition* — the dominant function for the INFJ type — which governs the ability to understand abstract theory and implement it creatively (Me: Does this apply to a legal career, I wonder? A legal career is neither here nor there, not liberal arts nor sciences.) 

In their own way, INFJs are just as much “systems builders” as are INTJs; the difference lies in that most INFJ “systems” are founded on human beings and human values (Me: Hear ye, hear ye!)  rather than information and technology. Their systems may for these reasons be conceptually “blurrier” than analogous NT ones, harder to measure in strict numerical terms, and easier to take for granted — yet it is these same underlying reasons which make the resulting contributions to society so vital and profound (Me: Well, of course, the saviour of society, of humanity. As My Chemical Romance put it: “the saviour of the broken, the beaten and the damned”). 

I’ve been meme’d by the latest addition to my work place, EC. Here goes…

4 jobs I’ve had in my life

1. Cybercafe attendant: you know, the people who stand behind a counter and take your money and tell you which PC to use. I was to be paid a generous (blah!) sum of RM5.00 per hour. After lunch, I took off and told them I wasn’t coming back. I worked for 3 hours. I left the RM15 and didn’t bother with it.
2. Chambering student: 9 months of pure fun with the craziest bunch of people I’d met and who are my very best friends till now. Chambering or pupillage is a pre-requisite to being called to the Bar in Malaysia. Did very little lawyering except towards the last 3-4 months (when I decided that I wanted to be a hot-shot litigation lawyer). Spent most afternoons at the bar guzzling beer or shooting pool with KS and Waldy under the guise of “Legal Aid Duty” or “Bar Council meeting”. Got paid RM500 p/m for the first 3 months, RM800 p/m thereafter until the 6th month, then RM1,000 p/m until the 9th month. Daddy had to subsist with an additional RM1,000 every month for food otherwise I wouldn’t be able to survive, excluding petrol, credit card purchases (within reason) and work clothes.
3. Lecturer of laws: Taught Law of Contract and Trusts (Australian and UK Law). Loved my students, who loved me back. Went clubbing together. Had tutorial sessions in my house and smoke-breaks at the back of college together. Bad role model I was.
4. Superstar/Recording Artiste!: (haha) Sang for a bit while I was studying for my law degree. Recorded one album, had 2-3 hit singles. Won 2 AIM (Anugerah Industri Muzik) awards in 2000 (Best English Album & Best New English Artiste) Made quite a bit of money doing shows. Basked in fame and popularity for that short while.

4 movies I can watch over and over again

1. Stealing Beauty: there’s something poignant and sweet about finding your first love. Plus I loved the beautiful Italian countryside the movie was set in. I imagined many times that I was like Liv Tyler in the movie, finding myself in this crazy world.
2. Shrek: I recently watched Shrek 3, but prior to that, I had watched Shrek and Shrek 2 over and over again. What’s there not to love about this? Brilliant and super funny!
3. Billy Elliot: Back in the day, woe is the boy/male who says that he wants to dance ballet and pursue a career in ballet! Billy Elliot is funny without being overly-dramatic, poignant without being too heart-rending and certainly very grounded and depictive of real life.
4. Mary Poppins: “Just a spoonful of sugar and the medicine’ll go down, the medicine’ll go down, medicine’ll go down, just a spoonful of sugar and the medicine’ll go down, in the most delightful way!” Classic. I had always wanted a Nanny who could fly with her umbrella. Never happened.

4 places I’ve been on vacation

1. Surat Thani, Thailand: Read about it here. Peaceful and tranquil. I loved it.
2. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Small campus town. Quiet and lovely in autumn. Shacked up in the spare room on campus with my brother who was studying there. Roamed the malls and factory outlets, lots of shopping. Drove into Chicago. More shopping.
3. Tanjung Jara, Terengganu: A massive luxurious beach resort. Excellent customer service. Won a free night’s stay in the Bumbung Room (RM800 per night). Delightful wooden chalets scattered over the resort. Beautiful swimming pool. White sandy beaches. Rented a bike, sat in the back like a minah while Hubby rode into the nearby town and packed nasi goreng kerabu (Food at the resort cost a bomb, though). Watched Fulham kick MU’s ass 3-0.
4. Cameron Highlands, Pahang: stayed at the Olde Smokehouse Inn for 3 days 2 nights. Beautiful, quaint surroundings. RM400 per night. Pregnant with E. Ate lots of scones with strawberry jam and butter. Romantic dinner at the Olde Smokehouse Inn restaurant. Had Bombe Alaska after years of being deprived of the same.Deliviously hot and cold, melting in the mouth. Visited old caretaker at the HSBC Bungalows, used to go there every year when I was a child. Walked a lot with Hubby. Wonderful weather.

4 favourite foods (this is gonna be tough!)

1. Phat Phet Kai- stir fried chicken with basil and limau purut leaves, red chillies, chilli padi and fish sauce. Mum passed the recipe down to me. I can have this with plain white rice!
2. Any pasta a’ la Arabiatta- love the tangy tomato flavoured with a spicy touch. The best Arabitta I’ve had is at Bella Italia in SS2.
3. Seafood paella- Paella is such a simple dish to make and can be very flavourful. Make your own to suit your taste buds. I love a simple basic paella thrown in with seafood: squid, shrimp, mussels, clams and some fresh mushrooms. Try a delicious seafood paella at Porto Romano, in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail.
4. Crabs in sweet/sour/spicy gravy: Fatty Crab in Taman Megah is the place to go for this! The sweet-sour-spicy gravy at Fatty Crab is rivalled by no other, the taste is unique, clips your tongue and fills your senses. Drown a slice of toasted bread in the gravy and roll back your eyes. Blissful. OK, so maybe I like the gravy more than the crab, simply because crabs, however delightful they taste, are a real bitch to eat.

4 places I’d like to visit

1. Stonehenge, Wiltshire: There is something mysterious about a natural rock formation like Stonehenge. Countless theories of “the aliens did it”! or “a mysterious Celtic spirit” put them there. But me- I just want to see the place where Tess of the D’ubervilles (Thomas Hardy’s hard-done by heroine) gasped her last breath and found peace in this strange phenomenon.
2. A vineyard in France: any old vineyard will do. Remember French Kiss with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline? A vineyard is old-time and romantic, and visiting one simply means I’ve become rich and can afford to travel like Megs in French Kiss.
3. The Bodhi Tree in India: the supposed-place where Buddha gained enlightenment and achieved Nirvana. A place of reverence.
4. The Vatican: I’m a sucker for architecture and beautiful old churches.

4 most overused words

1. Fuck- whenever I get pissed, unhappy, amazed. A whole myriad of expressions.
2. Shit- whenever I get pissed, unhappy, amazed. A whole myriad of expressions.
3. Oh dear
4. Aiyoh- mostly when my daughter does something funny, cute, outrageous.

4 TV shows I love

1. Everybody Loves Raymond- Who doesn’t?! My favourite character has to be Doris, Ray’s mother.
2. Criminal Minds: A new addition to Astro’s Channel 70, this is fast becoming one of my favourites. Love the mind games and visits to the eternal psyche!
3. Fun Song Factory: One of E’s favourite TV programmes too. I love this simply because I love the catchy tunes and songs they make up, together with good ol’ fashioned nursery rhymes with a modern twist.
4. OK, this isn’t a TV show, but a TV Channel: E! on Channel 76 Astro. Fun and frivolous, very good for kicking back and relaxing after a long day at work.

I’ve been meme’d by the latest addition to my work place, EC. Here goes…

4 jobs I’ve had in my life

1. Cybercafe attendant: you know, the people who stand behind a counter and take your money and tell you which PC to use. I was to be paid a generous (blah!) sum of RM5.00 per hour. After lunch, I took off and told them I wasn’t coming back. I worked for 3 hours. I left the RM15 and didn’t bother with it.
2. Chambering student: 9 months of pure fun with the craziest bunch of people I’d met and who are my very best friends till now. Chambering or pupillage is a pre-requisite to being called to the Bar in Malaysia. Did very little lawyering except towards the last 3-4 months (when I decided that I wanted to be a hot-shot litigation lawyer). Spent most afternoons at the bar guzzling beer or shooting pool with KS and Waldy under the guise of “Legal Aid Duty” or “Bar Council meeting”. Got paid RM500 p/m for the first 3 months, RM800 p/m thereafter until the 6th month, then RM1,000 p/m until the 9th month. Daddy had to subsist with an additional RM1,000 every month for food otherwise I wouldn’t be able to survive, excluding petrol, credit card purchases (within reason) and work clothes.
3. Lecturer of laws: Taught Law of Contract and Trusts (Australian and UK Law). Loved my students, who loved me back. Went clubbing together. Had tutorial sessions in my house and smoke-breaks at the back of college together. Bad role model I was.
4. Superstar/Recording Artiste!: (haha) Sang for a bit while I was studying for my law degree. Recorded one album, had 2-3 hit singles. Won 2 AIM (Anugerah Industri Muzik) awards in 2000 (Best English Album & Best New English Artiste) Made quite a bit of money doing shows. Basked in fame and popularity for that short while.

4 movies I can watch over and over again

1. Stealing Beauty: there’s something poignant and sweet about finding your first love. Plus I loved the beautiful Italian countryside the movie was set in. I imagined many times that I was like Liv Tyler in the movie, finding myself in this crazy world.
2. Shrek: I recently watched Shrek 3, but prior to that, I had watched Shrek and Shrek 2 over and over again. What’s there not to love about this? Brilliant and super funny!
3. Billy Elliot: Back in the day, woe is the boy/male who says that he wants to dance ballet and pursue a career in ballet! Billy Elliot is funny without being overly-dramatic, poignant without being too heart-rending and certainly very grounded and depictive of real life.
4. Mary Poppins: “Just a spoonful of sugar and the medicine’ll go down, the medicine’ll go down, medicine’ll go down, just a spoonful of sugar and the medicine’ll go down, in the most delightful way!” Classic. I had always wanted a Nanny who could fly with her umbrella. Never happened.

4 places I’ve been on vacation

1. Surat Thani, Thailand: Read about it here. Peaceful and tranquil. I loved it.
2. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Small campus town. Quiet and lovely in autumn. Shacked up in the spare room on campus with my brother who was studying there. Roamed the malls and factory outlets, lots of shopping. Drove into Chicago. More shopping.
3. Tanjung Jara, Terengganu: A massive luxurious beach resort. Excellent customer service. Won a free night’s stay in the Bumbung Room (RM800 per night). Delightful wooden chalets scattered over the resort. Beautiful swimming pool. White sandy beaches. Rented a bike, sat in the back like a minah while Hubby rode into the nearby town and packed nasi goreng kerabu (Food at the resort cost a bomb, though). Watched Fulham kick MU’s ass 3-0.
4. Cameron Highlands, Pahang: stayed at the Olde Smokehouse Inn for 3 days 2 nights. Beautiful, quaint surroundings. RM400 per night. Pregnant with E. Ate lots of scones with strawberry jam and butter. Romantic dinner at the Olde Smokehouse Inn restaurant. Had Bombe Alaska after years of being deprived of the same.Deliviously hot and cold, melting in the mouth. Visited old caretaker at the HSBC Bungalows, used to go there every year when I was a child. Walked a lot with Hubby. Wonderful weather.

4 favourite foods (this is gonna be tough!)

1. Phat Phet Kai- stir fried chicken with basil and limau purut leaves, red chillies, chilli padi and fish sauce. Mum passed the recipe down to me. I can have this with plain white rice!
2. Any pasta a’ la Arabiatta- love the tangy tomato flavoured with a spicy touch. The best Arabitta I’ve had is at Bella Italia in SS2.
3. Seafood paella- Paella is such a simple dish to make and can be very flavourful. Make your own to suit your taste buds. I love a simple basic paella thrown in with seafood: squid, shrimp, mussels, clams and some fresh mushrooms. Try a delicious seafood paella at Porto Romano, in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail.
4. Crabs in sweet/sour/spicy gravy: Fatty Crab in Taman Megah is the place to go for this! The sweet-sour-spicy gravy at Fatty Crab is rivalled by no other, the taste is unique, clips your tongue and fills your senses. Drown a slice of toasted bread in the gravy and roll back your eyes. Blissful. OK, so maybe I like the gravy more than the crab, simply because crabs, however delightful they taste, are a real bitch to eat.

4 places I’d like to visit

1. Stonehenge, Wiltshire: There is something mysterious about a natural rock formation like Stonehenge. Countless theories of “the aliens did it”! or “a mysterious Celtic spirit” put them there. But me- I just want to see the place where Tess of the D’ubervilles (Thomas Hardy’s hard-done by heroine) gasped her last breath and found peace in this strange phenomenon.
2. A vineyard in France: any old vineyard will do. Remember French Kiss with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline? A vineyard is old-time and romantic, and visiting one simply means I’ve become rich and can afford to travel like Megs in French Kiss.
3. The Bodhi Tree in India: the supposed-place where Buddha gained enlightenment and achieved Nirvana. A place of reverence.
4. The Vatican: I’m a sucker for architecture and beautiful old churches.

4 most overused words

1. Fuck- whenever I get pissed, unhappy, amazed. A whole myriad of expressions.
2. Shit- whenever I get pissed, unhappy, amazed. A whole myriad of expressions.
3. Oh dear
4. Aiyoh- mostly when my daughter does something funny, cute, outrageous.

4 TV shows I love

1. Everybody Loves Raymond- Who doesn’t?! My favourite character has to be Doris, Ray’s mother.
2. Criminal Minds: A new addition to Astro’s Channel 70, this is fast becoming one of my favourites. Love the mind games and visits to the eternal psyche!
3. Fun Song Factory: One of E’s favourite TV programmes too. I love this simply because I love the catchy tunes and songs they make up, together with good ol’ fashioned nursery rhymes with a modern twist.
4. OK, this isn’t a TV show, but a TV Channel: E! on Channel 76 Astro. Fun and frivolous, very good for kicking back and relaxing after a long day at work.

By the “F” word, I mean THAT “F” word. The one that means “to copulate”.

I think children have an innane ability to store things, in particular, words, they hear in their little computer-like memories. It’s like a huge recess with lots of tiny compartments with different labels. E.G. words I’ve heard once; words I will probably use later as an adult; words that are forbidden, because my Mommy says “Oops!” after she says them and claps her hands over her mouth, and the likes. I wonder, though, when they decide to open up these compartments and use these words in storage. Is it a chemical reaction that triggers in their brain, prompting them to do so? Go ahead, try it out and roll it on your tongue. See how you like it. It’s my guess as much as yours.

My daughter said the “F” word several times the other day. My husband and I were shocked, to say the least. We kept silent, and she repeated it several times. She hummed in the car, stood up on my lap and tapped her father on the shoulder (he was driving). And she said the “F” word and grinned from cheek to cheek.

Come on, you old foggies. What are you gonna do ’bout that? Her smile seemed to be mocking us.

We kept silent. I wanted to laugh, but I was also shocked that she had used the “F” word. I quietly scolded my husband under my breath. I peeked at him and saw that he had stuffed part of his t-shirt into his mouth because he wanted to laugh too.

I finally told my daughter, “No, you cannot say that word. It is a bad word“. She smiled in glee and said it again. I vowed to keep my mouth shut and act indifferent. It seemed to work. When she saw that her uttering the “F” word no longer amused or incited shock in us, she stopped.

Are we terrible parents because we’d allowed our daughter to use the “F” word, our daughter who is not even the ripe ol’ age of 2 years? We’re terrible parents for sure to have used the “F” word in her presence before. I’m quite sure we’re going straight to Hell for this.

By the “F” word, I mean THAT “F” word. The one that means “to copulate”.

I think children have an innane ability to store things, in particular, words, they hear in their little computer-like memories. It’s like a huge recess with lots of tiny compartments with different labels. E.G. words I’ve heard once; words I will probably use later as an adult; words that are forbidden, because my Mommy says “Oops!” after she says them and claps her hands over her mouth, and the likes. I wonder, though, when they decide to open up these compartments and use these words in storage. Is it a chemical reaction that triggers in their brain, prompting them to do so? Go ahead, try it out and roll it on your tongue. See how you like it. It’s my guess as much as yours.

My daughter said the “F” word several times the other day. My husband and I were shocked, to say the least. We kept silent, and she repeated it several times. She hummed in the car, stood up on my lap and tapped her father on the shoulder (he was driving). And she said the “F” word and grinned from cheek to cheek.

Come on, you old foggies. What are you gonna do ’bout that? Her smile seemed to be mocking us.

We kept silent. I wanted to laugh, but I was also shocked that she had used the “F” word. I quietly scolded my husband under my breath. I peeked at him and saw that he had stuffed part of his t-shirt into his mouth because he wanted to laugh too.

I finally told my daughter, “No, you cannot say that word. It is a bad word“. She smiled in glee and said it again. I vowed to keep my mouth shut and act indifferent. It seemed to work. When she saw that her uttering the “F” word no longer amused or incited shock in us, she stopped.

Are we terrible parents because we’d allowed our daughter to use the “F” word, our daughter who is not even the ripe ol’ age of 2 years? We’re terrible parents for sure to have used the “F” word in her presence before. I’m quite sure we’re going straight to Hell for this.