Blissful Morning

It was sunshine everywhere outside waking up this morning. This was one of those mornings that I wake up happy and refreshed, and would be contented with the simplest thing. Putting on some Tord Gustaven, recently recommended by a friend, I lounged lazily and quietly, sipping coffee, flipping magazine pages and taking long drags from a ciggy.

Time slipping by so soothingly slow and gentle. I could feel it, like sand falling through my fingers.

Ahhhh... Such a blissful Sunday morning.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Logic

The chocolate chip cookies topped with M&Ms I baked for Chinese New Year were an instant hit with my twin nephews. Of course they were! My incredible baking prowess and the extra secret ingredient of love could surely win them over, along with the world's toughest critics. Well, it was probably the colorful M&Ms doing the trick!

After lunch, I set about baking another batch of those M&Ms chocolate chip cookies for them as I'd be seeing them for dinner in town. While baking, I was all happy and excited imagining their little faces brighten up with joy seeing the sweet treats of love from their Uncle Boon. This time around I threw in some almonds, green raisins and dried cranberries to make them extra tasty. Oh not forgetting the magic ingredient of M&Ms. "They are so going to love these!" I was thinking aloud.

At dinner I brought out the cookies in the most dramatic manner possible.

"Hey boys, I've got something very special for you. Ta da...."

But their mother, my sister was quick to jumped in.

"J is sick. He's coughing. He can't have any cookies. Put them away. Quick!"

What has eating a chocolate chip cookie got to do with coughing? Does it make the coughing worse? What kind of logic is that? Some kind of twisted parenting logic that was.

Such a killjoy!

But looking at them bursting into euphoria, though short lived, definitely put the biggest smile on my face.

"Listen to me boys, A, you stay strong and healthy eh. J, you get well ASAP. Then you two can enjoy the cookies. Those cookies stay good for a couple of weeks in the freezer. OK boys, now come give your Uncle Boon a hug."

Have You Ever...

Have you ever caught a glimpse of your loved one in the crowd and you when searched for it so desperately it was actually not there?

Have ever rushed after that seemingly familiar back of your loved one along the street after the slightest brush of the shoulders, just to find a baffled stranger's face turning to you when you finally caught up?

Have you ever sprung up from your seat for you thought you heard the laughter of your loved one, so clearly and so close by, yet faded instantly when you swirled your head around?

Have you ever dreamed of you loved one holding you tightly but waking up alone feeling hollow that you almost wanted to cry?

Have you ever smiled foolishly by yourself day dreaming about the great time you two enjoyed at that movie date afternoon that you totally oblivious of the staring and finger-pointing of the passer-by?

That's how much I'm missing mine.

Happy V-day.

Pirates of the Chinatown

While walking about after lunch around Chinatown, I came across a sign board on the busy main thoroughfare there. It said that sales of pirated VCDs and DVDs is illegally and strictly prohibited and punishable by X amount of fine and Y amount of jail time or both. It sounded threatening and scary. It reminded me of those sign boards we see at the various entry points into the country on drugs trafficking is punishable by hanging and blah blah blah.

It's true that those pirated stuff is no longer on display for sales on the little carts or stalls along the street. Well, not visibly so anyway. If you actually wander around long enough, there'll be people approaching you, offering you the latest releases from Hollywood to Bollywood. Gone were the days when the sellers were actually hollering alound the latest flicks available and how they guarantee the video and audio quality. Back then they had screen test right there and then, and even allowed refund.

Meanwhile there are knock offs of virtually anything and everything branded: LV, CK, DKNY, AlX, and whatever acronyms there are. I even saw the limited edition designer tree hugger hand bag This-is-not-a-Plastic-Bag! The knock off version of shoes, shirts, shades, bags and etc are all showcased shamelessly under the broad daylight.

Well, aren't those piracy and infringement of IP too? Why aren't anything being done about that?