Today a pleasant thing happened. I have a conference next week, for which I am expected to be dressed in formals. Another opportunity to shop. No girl leaves that...
Well Kakes and me decided to go in the morning. Initially we decided lets go to the normal big shops and get a couple of shirts and done walk out... But as we climbed down the staircase, somehow I had doubts, next what plan change... destination charity shops. On the street next to our place, we have this entire row of charity shops, so we decided to get in one after the other. One over, two over, three over and so was our patience. I did get a couple of things but I was looking for some thing different. Finally, we walked into the fourth shop.
Searching the racks, finding our way through the crowd, saying "I am sorry" , "Excuse me please" and a few polite smiles here and there. But what caught my attention was one boy. He too was there to shop. He and his precious bike. His mother was selecting clothes for her and him. He seemed more interested in everyone else around. I waved at him. He was really really cute. Could not resist I said "Hi" to him. No response... I didn't give up. I waved again.. and this time I finally got a smile back. Aahhha.... It made my day.
A nice little toothy smile from a two year old boy... I said a "Hi" to him again. This time he gives me a shy smile and was so shy later that he tried hiding behind his mother and while he did that, he forgot he was on his small bike and he needed to get down before he could hide... and he toppled down...
In embarrassment of being watched by Kakes and me he immediately looked away but not before smiling again...
This made my day... a cute little boy, on his cute little bike, with a cute little smile... who for me is the boy who fell...
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Friday, 19 March 2010
Where perfection is unaccepted…
Where imperfection is perfect….
Walking in flat 7, I didn’t know what my one year is going to be like, the only thing I knew was it was going to be different… obvious isn’t first time out of the country, first time I was all by myself for such a long time. But that not uncommon. So many students sail with me in the same boat. However, what is not common is the flat and the flat mate.
Our first few days when in known each other. I could not even pronounce their names properly. I called them by very different names. As we shared the common area of our flat, we decided to share each other’s company. Our first step, our flat dinners.
We came from different parts of the world. Not surprising we stayed at an accommodation for international student. That a huge advantage. It teaches you a lot. Were on one hand we had grown up in different parts of the world on the other hand we went through the same stress and performance tensions. Flat dinners were probably was a way of learning new cuisines but also as we later realized it was a stress buster. We all specialize in something. Kakes is our baker, Remy for “fried rice”, I lin for her health conscious food soups and lovely desserts, Anna for her roasts and baking rice and as of me a typical chat lover, spicy food. The first dinner, was HotPot. Something I had never heard of. Nevertheless, it was the first time I ate fish. It is actually, what it says, a pot that is hot and you boil food in it and have it. Believe me… u actually taste the food and not the spices. Sorry, for that overly simple explanation but it is wonderful. The first experience was memorable. However, slightly tensed. We wanted everything to be perfect. Later we started a routine of flat dinners. Any birthday, craving for a special dish, celebration, each other’s festivals, calling friends over, whatever we think of we celebrate. We jumped and still jump at every opportunity we get to celebrate. If I say, we celebrate life it will be too philosophical but yes it is true in a way. Oh yes how can I forget Antonio… the celebrated member of our flat…. The women know whom I am talking about…
Yes all this is true… but there is a missing link… this all does not sound all that new… I am sure everyone would enjoy that.
The dinner we had for Chinese New Year was fun. However, there happened something more important. It was Siqing, (our 80% flat mate), who said something and then the picture became complete. Being an engineer, she lived on perfection, exact calculations and stuff… but yes, she is a perfectionist…self-admitted… Kakes is a witness. Having flat dinners was more than just tasting different food. It was more about working with imperfections. The English Tea Party, our carrot cake was a disaster. Instead of sulking and blaming one another, we laughed at it and eat it, finally finished it. (Throwing it was anyways expensive and waste of food). But my point is that, making mistakes is not that depressing at it seems. You can laugh at it. Learn from it. More importantly enjoy it. And… Siqing made us realize, that, it was actually the imperfection of the process that we enjoy. This imperfection made our food tastier.
Imagine a perfect world, where everything was right, what would you laugh at… we would be so boring… I would not be telling you, it took me one hour, to lift a salad tomato with chopsticks ,while Remy and Anna finished not only theirs but even my share of work…
End of it only one thing to say… if you ever happen to come to “Flat 7” remember Imperfection is Perfect !!! Cheers….
Walking in flat 7, I didn’t know what my one year is going to be like, the only thing I knew was it was going to be different… obvious isn’t first time out of the country, first time I was all by myself for such a long time. But that not uncommon. So many students sail with me in the same boat. However, what is not common is the flat and the flat mate.
Our first few days when in known each other. I could not even pronounce their names properly. I called them by very different names. As we shared the common area of our flat, we decided to share each other’s company. Our first step, our flat dinners.
We came from different parts of the world. Not surprising we stayed at an accommodation for international student. That a huge advantage. It teaches you a lot. Were on one hand we had grown up in different parts of the world on the other hand we went through the same stress and performance tensions. Flat dinners were probably was a way of learning new cuisines but also as we later realized it was a stress buster. We all specialize in something. Kakes is our baker, Remy for “fried rice”, I lin for her health conscious food soups and lovely desserts, Anna for her roasts and baking rice and as of me a typical chat lover, spicy food. The first dinner, was HotPot. Something I had never heard of. Nevertheless, it was the first time I ate fish. It is actually, what it says, a pot that is hot and you boil food in it and have it. Believe me… u actually taste the food and not the spices. Sorry, for that overly simple explanation but it is wonderful. The first experience was memorable. However, slightly tensed. We wanted everything to be perfect. Later we started a routine of flat dinners. Any birthday, craving for a special dish, celebration, each other’s festivals, calling friends over, whatever we think of we celebrate. We jumped and still jump at every opportunity we get to celebrate. If I say, we celebrate life it will be too philosophical but yes it is true in a way. Oh yes how can I forget Antonio… the celebrated member of our flat…. The women know whom I am talking about…
Yes all this is true… but there is a missing link… this all does not sound all that new… I am sure everyone would enjoy that.
The dinner we had for Chinese New Year was fun. However, there happened something more important. It was Siqing, (our 80% flat mate), who said something and then the picture became complete. Being an engineer, she lived on perfection, exact calculations and stuff… but yes, she is a perfectionist…self-admitted… Kakes is a witness. Having flat dinners was more than just tasting different food. It was more about working with imperfections. The English Tea Party, our carrot cake was a disaster. Instead of sulking and blaming one another, we laughed at it and eat it, finally finished it. (Throwing it was anyways expensive and waste of food). But my point is that, making mistakes is not that depressing at it seems. You can laugh at it. Learn from it. More importantly enjoy it. And… Siqing made us realize, that, it was actually the imperfection of the process that we enjoy. This imperfection made our food tastier.
Imagine a perfect world, where everything was right, what would you laugh at… we would be so boring… I would not be telling you, it took me one hour, to lift a salad tomato with chopsticks ,while Remy and Anna finished not only theirs but even my share of work…
End of it only one thing to say… if you ever happen to come to “Flat 7” remember Imperfection is Perfect !!! Cheers….
Friday, 12 March 2010
A new year resolution...
Resolutions are meant to be broken... But not this year... A new year a new beginning to a new way... Well it is indeed the beginning of the completion of my first resolution... yea yea i know its mid-third month of the year but at least there is a beginning.... Come on first step is always the most difficult...
So what is the this 'completion of the beginning of my first resolution'... well yes... its simple - its BLOGGING...
Never in the darkest of my deadliest dreams did I think I would Blog.. But its good to surprise yourself... isn't...
Well I had this going on in my mind since time unknown.. but never had the guts to take that first step. But today I feel too brave, yes I have done it, my first blog is up.
I am quite enjoying this. I think I should blog more. Let me give it a shot... what say...?
Well I say A New Year, A New Beginning...
Chio
So what is the this 'completion of the beginning of my first resolution'... well yes... its simple - its BLOGGING...
Never in the darkest of my deadliest dreams did I think I would Blog.. But its good to surprise yourself... isn't...
Well I had this going on in my mind since time unknown.. but never had the guts to take that first step. But today I feel too brave, yes I have done it, my first blog is up.
I am quite enjoying this. I think I should blog more. Let me give it a shot... what say...?
Well I say A New Year, A New Beginning...
Chio
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