Protected: Outta here (u know where to ask for pw)

My Christmas Wish

My mom called me at 1 AM in the morning one day. I rejected it. Who the hell picks up calls at 1 AM? However soon after she sms-ed me saying that she wished to inform me that Gong-gong (Grandpa) is in critical condition and she wanted me to check about hospitals in Singapore.

And then it hit me.

For years, I’ve been in a very comfortable status quo. Everyone’s alive and well (except my popo-Grandma from father’s side who died when I was about 7 or 8), everyone’s chirpy and a bit nosy, everyone’s loud and cheery.

It hit me that it’s not to last forever. That at some point of time it will all change, or maybe end. Maybe Grandpa will not laugh loudly at silly things his grandchildren do anymore. Maybe Grandma and Mom won’t be so chirpy anymore. Maybe Dad won’t be so smart as he is now. Maybe Gugu (Aunt) won’t cook delicious food anymore. Maybe Mami (another Aunt) won’t give us free stationery anymore (she runs a stationery shop btw).

Gong-gong is a big guy. Imagining him crippled because of his diabetes is just unbearable. He’s got this smile that everyone in family has. A big, warm, happy smile. Does he still smile now?

I usually never wish for anything at Christmas. Well I don’t even celebrate Christmas “that much” even though I’m a Christian.

Christmas wishlist will typically include material things like new gadgets, toys, clothes, and whatnots. But this year, my first ever Christmas wish will be a longer family status quo, where everyone is happy and well (including inside this, of course, for Gong-gong to get well). And if that’s not possible, I wish for strength to get through this all.

So what’s your Christmas wish?

Happy Birthday times six

Yes this is sooo important because I think this is the first time ever in my life that I have 6 friends celebrating their birthday in the same date. They might not be born in the same year, but… you got the idea.

So…

Happy Birthday to Kristia!

Happy Birthday to Daryl!

Happy Birthday to Gabriel!

Happy Birthday to Jerrick!

Happy Birthday to Nicole!

Happy Birthday to Noni!

I wish you all a fabulous birthday and years ahead!

With Lovesss,
Your friend Sylv

Letter to the choir

I missed a choir rehearsal on Thursday.
The president demanded an explanation for the choir.

This letter explains the reason, and also explains why I haven’t been updating regularly.
And to show my sincerest apologies.

Dear choir members,

This is not the best or the most satisfactory or sensible explanation ever, but this is the true account. I encountered some big hiccups in internship and as a result I had to put a lot of effort to mend them. Yesterday was the worst day and I left the office at almost 7 PM (my office hour is only until 5.30 PM), and went to home straight, totally forgetting about the practice I should be attending.

However, I’m really sad that no one bothered to call me or sms me yesterday. I just checked my phone logs whether there were missed calls from one of you. I just checked my phone inbox amidst my many unread messages whether there were any messages I miss. There weren’t any. Forgetting is a lame and unacceptable excuse, I know, and I might seem to be shifting blame to my work/internship problems but if somebody had just called me or smsed me I most probably would have come, even late and all. Hell I’d jump off the bus and go to the nearest bus stop that has buses going to school. Really.

I’m very sorry to miss the practice due to my absent-mindedness. I regret that fact. I admit these few days (or weeks) I’ve been very messed up. I don’t even organize my appointments in my agenda anymore, which is very rare for a person like me if you know me very well. So I beg you all, please, call me, sms me when I don’t show up. Trust me, I won’t intentionally miss a rehearsal just because I’m not feeling like it. I have been coming to most of the rehearsals and practices, despite being late for my inability to wake up/function in weekends’ mornings, or despite being wary and tired after work. I tried my best to come on time for Saturday rehearsals and I did succeed. I always come to night practices, even when I had classes until 6.45 PM, even when I had work. You know you can trust me.

I hope you’ll all forgive me and help me learn the steps/moves/positions.

Sorry.

To readers, please note that I’m not blaming them. It was solely my fault and my absent-mindedness from the first place. I just wish that they had told me, so all this thing would have been avoidable. But I admit it was my fault anyway… So stupid for not even putting it into my agenda. Guess there’s no way to fix this but to show up at the next practice, and learn the steps fast. Wish me luck.

Rest in Peace, Levin

Earlier this morning I posted a post asking for my readers to pray for the safe return of Levin Angsana, an SMU year 1 student who accidentally fell to the sea in a sailing practice.

As I said before in my post, I don’t know Levin at all, but he’s in my little so-called “circle”. He’s an SIS student and he’s Indonesian, 2 factors where we are in common.

Although I don’t know him at all, I know a lot of people that do know him and love him.

Levin has returned. He’s been found. He might not be alive anymore, but he returned.
Maybe he knows that we want him to return…

I extend my sincere condolences to Levin’s family and friends. I pray that you guys will be given the strength to go through this hard period.

Rest in peace, Levin. You will be missed by everyone who knows you.
Here’s a rose for you…

Photo from Vubui on Flickr.

Please comment and help – when somebody you love is cheating?

Important note : PROCEED WITH CAUTION. This important note is serious. This entry will talk about one’s mother. If you are the kind of person who really loves your own mother (I know many of you do), you might get offended or insulted or the likes. I would not accept any comments about being ungrateful child or the likes. Comments in the same line with that will be immediately deleted.

Less important note : this entry is long.

Okay, so, I’m really concerned about my friend now.

She’s been very depressed by this issue. She used to be very “bright” and chatty and she did well in school, but now she’s always gloomy, like there’s this black aura around her, and her grades declined sharply. She has told me all the details of the stories and, as much as I am concerned, sadly, I can’t help. So I decided to do this rather cowardly move (she doesn’t read my blog) to ask you, my readers, for your helping comments. Come on, I have like 100++ reads for my pings in ping.sg. There are many of you, right? If you’ve been lurking lately, please emerge and comment.

So let’s begin.

As I have said, it’s about my friend’s mother. Let’s just call her Sia, because it’s short and I like the singer Sia. Sia had never been in good terms with her mother, which is another way to say that Sia hates her mother. She never elaborated why, but I drew conclusion that basically her mother never really cares about how she feels and emotionally abused her continuously. Sia said she didn’t feel comfortable at home at all, so now she’s living in an apartment with housemates away from her mother.

While away from her mother, she kept touch with her sisters (she has two) and her cousin who is very close to her nuclear family. One day she came back to home and catch up even more with her sisters and cousin and was told a horrifying fact : her mom is having an affair.

They (the sisters and cousin) said it started when Sia’s grandpa had to be hospitalized coz of some health problem (she never gave details). Sia’s mother had to stay in hospital to take care of the grandpa and this lad was there to take care of some other person (Sia didn’t know and I guess she doesn’t bother to know). And so they met. And so they talked to each other. And so they exchanged phone numbers. And so they started to sms each other.

I also don’t know what charm does that lad have (Sia heard that the lad just graduated from uni and presumably about 23/24-ish) but he charmed Sia’s mother. Sia’s mother became so smitten with him. SMSes never stopped. When Sia’s father is not around the mother will call that lad, giggly and all that. The mother became very defensive and always tried to hide her handphone. Nobody was allowed to touch her handphone. Her handphone was always on her side.

Sia thought it was nothing. Sia had always known that her parents’ relationships had been strained for a long time, as long as she can remember. She said she even laughed at it. But she wished her mother would stop. At least just cheesy lovey-dovey SMSes and calls and that’s it. Sia said she herself saw the smses. She said they were so cheesy. (Sia has a boyfriend, so she should know, I guess) Sia stole a peek to the highly guarded handphone while it was being charged in her mom’s room (she was back to her home that day) and her mom was taking a bath. Sia said her mom disguised the name of that lad with the name of her mom’s best friend (female of course). They were smsing all the time, basically. Sia also spotted that at some point of time the lad basically wanted to break up (if they ever really had a relationship) but her mother insisted because “Nobody else would want me since I’m old, ugly, and married”. Sia said she was a bit relieved since this means that the lad actually didn’t want to get serious with her mom. (sidenote : I mean, erm, like seriously?) She left her home again and hoped that it would stop in time.

It did not. Unfortunately.

Sia just went back home to visit her sisters and other family members to catch up. She is now back in her apartment again. And then she told me the terrifying fact : the affair still goes on. And it’s even worse now. Money is now involved. Sia’s mother transferred money to that lad, which from now on will be called asshole coz obviously he was taking advantage of Sia’s mother. Sia said that her sister claimed that (I know this is a complicated referral) that asshole now has a car (WTF!!!!!!!) and a phone and who knows many others. And I know Sia has been living on limited allowance that only allows her to pay rent+utilities. transport, and eat/drink cheaply without a room to have some “luxury”. I know coz I lent her money sometimes when she’s really broke, as in really broke until she doesn’t have even a single cent to buy a proper food or drink. Yes, that miserable. And if you look at her stuff and where she lives (her apartment and her real home), you will know that actually she didn’t come from a poor family. Her parents are quite well off enough to provide her. (The “stuff” is her laptop, hp, etc….) And now she has to live like a poor peasant. I can see she’s quite desperate of this. Probably not because she used to live with enough/more than enough money, but because she doesn’t like to lend money from someone else. Sia doesn’t like to bother people around her with her problems and I know it. So you see, when she talked about this problem to me, I knew how serious it was.

Sia also said that her mom now dared to go to the town where the asshole is living. (Yes, apparently the asshole doesn’t live in the same town!) The mom used “work” as an excuse. But of course, -this is the best part- everyone knows she didn’t go there for work.

Apparently, everyone knows. Her sister knows (obviously), her cousin knows, her father knows (gasp!), her grandparents also knows. Sia also said that her father DID call the asshole but then the asshole reported it to Sia’s mother and the father got scolded instead. I don’t know why it became like that either. Some strange situation..

Okay, so. Sia said that her main concern is NOT her mother or the asshole. Yes the statement kinda surprised me too. It’s her sisters that concerned her. Sia loves her sisters so much and very very protective of them. She’s the first child, you see. It’s a natural thing I guess (I’m a first child too). Sia, who is not living in her home anymore, is obviously stressed and frustrated by the fact that her mom is having a scandalous and expensive affair. Can you imagine what’s happening to the sisters? It’s very bad. The middle sister is depressed and confided in Sia (as she told me) that she sometimes suddenly cried out of nowhere because of this. The youngest sister, the closest to the mom, knows about the affair and the mom knows that she knows. Complicated right? And that youngest sister (who is merely 13 years old -!!!!!!) once scolded the mom also. The result? Pretty bad. She got yelled and the next days everything she did became wrong and she even got physically abused. Punishing your child with physical punishment might sound a bit sensible when the child is younger (i can’t justify this though… please don’t attack this sentence), but a 13-year-old still being abused physically? I personally think something. is. severely. wrong. Sia said that she heard that her sister (that youngest one) also said (not angrily) to her mother about “What do you see in him? he’s young and money-less. What do you expect of him?”. The mother answered “Well, what to do, I’m in love….”

!!!!!!
Seriously. (I said this to Sia too)
Okay so the main problem which I need you to help is how to make the mom stop? Not for the sake of herself (Sia said she doesn’t care about that old hag – true words she used), but to her sisters. As I said the father didn’t sit around and do nothing. He did call the asshole. Yet the affair still continues. The sister scolded the mom. No use. Sia said maybe scolding is not a right idea since a mom is like a teenage on puppy love. When you tell them not to, they will act even worse. Like, of course you know that the guy your daughter is dating is no good at all coz when you’re older you can “see”. But of course the daughter won’t listen to you. Something like that.

Sia said that she thinks the problem doesn’t lie with the asshole. It’s with her mom. She said in surprisingly cool way that her mom just wants that attention and really desperate for attention. Sia said she acts like a brainless teenage with, unfortunately, bigger possessions. What are the most expensive things can teenagers give to his/her puppy love? Some flower bouquets? Some dinner in lux restaurants? (Except you’re a teenager from Gossip Girl…..)

I have said all possible options I can think of to Sia. I can’t think of many. I juz could think about her scolding the mom (Sia is obviously very matured, maybe more mature than the mom), ask the father to react even more (Sia said her father is very quiet and naturally doesn’t want troubles – i don’t understand either), or even report to the police (Sia said no evidence and what case would it be?) Sia said she had thought about possible ways. Sia had the asshole’s phone number – copied from her mom’s handphone she peeked earlier-, but calling or smsing him abusively won’t help since the asshole will surely report to the mom. And who knows if her already low allowance will get cut and all worse things than that. She even thought about retrieving the asshole’s address (she said her sister can do it for her), and just go there in one weekend to directly walk in to meet the asshole and punch him in the face or scold him or something like that. I said it would be expensive and she agreed.

And so.. We don’t know anymore.

Please comment about what you think. Even some comfort notes for Sia coz I believe she needs them. I will forward it to her after I feel I’m ready to tell her that I wrote this in my blog. Please tell me/Sia what you think is the better idea to make her mom stop and save her sisters (who are 13 and 15) from depression/trauma that can affect their well being. Your contribution will be anonymous but feel good that you might be helping someone, even a family.

Please help. Please.

Regarding the title..
I personally think Sia mainly feels depressed/frustrated because she feels neglected in some way. Sia still loves her mother. And she can’t afford the fact that her mother loves somebody more than she loves her family. Actually she said something regarding this (If I remember correctly). She said “No matter how much I hate her, she’s my mother and that’s a fact I can’t change. When something really can’t change, I guess it’s best that we adapt. So I chose to love her, and I really still do, deep down in my heart. There’s a bonding that can’t be broken somehow. Even if I wish it was. I wish it was, you know? I wish it was. But it’s not. I can’t change that. So I guess I won’t fight. It’ll still that way. It’s easier.” (this is paraphrased from what I can remember of what she said. I remember coz I was quite amazed. come on. aren’t you?)

Please help me to help Sia. You know you want to. Please.

Please pray for the missing SMU student

Please read the news.

I don’t know Levin Angsana at all, but he’s in my “circle”. He’s an SIS student and he’s Indonesian, and those two factors are enough to call him someone in my “circle”.

I know friends that know him. And all the wall posts in his Facebook profile broke my heart.

Hi Levin, please come back. I don’t know you at all but I can see there are people who do and who love you as well. Your family and your friends are awaiting your safe return. Some want to go grab some beer with you. Some want to go shopping with you. Some already let you to call them stupid names. All of them wants to meet you again..

If you do come back, I hope you’ll chance upon this post somehow to know that there are many people who care about you… and be thankful for your life.

Free Cone Day!

The adventure of Cheapskatesylv!

Just like many other cheapskates in the world, Cheapskatesylv decided to join in the fun of getting free ice cream despite her strict diet. (To my dietician, yes I promise I will do more exercises tomorrow.. Promise..)

Cheapskatesylv and her boyfriend, Cheapskatevit, decided to go to Ben n Jerry’s outlet in United Square. Our deduction was that it would be less crowded and it’s nearer to Cheapskatesylv’s home (and automatically Cheapskatevit’s home too. Not that we’re living together).

So we went there and decided to eat first since we’re hungry… And free ice cream will make a great dessert!
We went to Genki Sushi because.. Oh well.. You know that we love sushi..

Genki Sushi is nice.. But what intrigues me is…
Empty conveyor belt.

Empty??

Sigh..

Decided to order a bigger meal instead. I was already thinking of sushi feast.. Oh well.

And so we headed to the 2nd floor to get B&J.. But then.. OMG… It was such a long and unorganized queue! Sooo many students there, although it was just 3 PM.. Sigh..

Without further ado, we quickly took the MRT to Dhoby Ghaut.. To The Cathay of course! Our favourite mall since it’s usually not crowded and thus perfect for lovey-dovey acts (oops).

Well the crowd was horrendous too..

Longer than last year’s! (See the last year’s here)

To ease the boredom, Cheapskatesylv and Cheapskatevit camwhored…

And again, after the ice cream cones are in our hands already!

Cheapskatesylv and Cheapskatevit are so happy!

Looking forward for the next year’s free cone day… =P