Thank God I'm not Irish

Maybe it's one of these "attraction of the Other" things, but I've always had a bit of a thing for Irish culture... though I don't know much about it.

So I really like this "Irish blessing", but unfortunately, I think it's now more often found on mass-produced printed wall hangings and coffee mugs than on the lips of people who really mean it.

"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand."

Granted, not many of us have fields these days and because of skin cancer phobia it's not very PC to wish for sunshine on one's face, but it's still a nice sentiment.

I'm glad I'm neither Irish nor in the habit of cursing people, because if I were it would go something like this:

"May those who love us love us;
And those that don't love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limping."

I hope everyone in my life can walk with a clean conscience and straight ankles ;o)

Finishing up

With just over a month left to 2006, I've been contemplating how well I've used my year's worth of time. And, of course, hoping I can do a better job in 2007. I have all sorts of lofty plans, but I'd rather commit to just a few and do them well than become the embodiment of one of my mum's favourite Hokkien sayings, which translates literally into:

"Catch dragon, catch phoenix... at the end of the day, not so much as half a dead rat!"

In other words, don't make big plans you can't follow them through. Wise woman, my momma.

Listless? No way!

List.less: Lethargic; lacking energy

That describes me quite well, now that I'm on Day 5 1/2 of my flu. To compensate for my seeming listlessness, here's a list. I know, no connection whatsoever. Isn't English a beautiful language?

1. If nothing else, the benefits of having a bad cold and cough are: being able to sleep all day on a weekday and not feeling guilty; knowing who really cares for me; exploiting the healing properties of ice-cream; being able to eat the Thai fried rice at Section 17 that has eluded me for months because whenever I get there after work, they're already sold out; doing nothing and feeling good about it.
2. One of my fish died this morning. "And then there was one." Requiescat in pace.
   
3. I am sick, sick, sick of the bad English I see in local "English"-language papers. Also sick of being told, "Give [the writers and editors] a break, they're only human." In my book, if you're being paid to do something, you'd better be good at it. Ever told a doctor, "It's ok if you're not that sure how the human body works, you're only human"? I believe in grace as much as anyone. I'm continually on the receiving end of it myself. But I still say, at least look as if you're trying.
   
4. It's true, you can never go home. Or back to your old Latin dance class, wishing it were just as it was five years ago. I don't know which has changed the most: the studio, the class or myself.
5. I am simultaneously reading two biographies (well, Fashion Babylon IS more or less biographical) and I can't help marvelling at how strikingly different people can be. From the guy who gained what he cannot lose to the countless people who seem to be tossing away all their life and energy for what they can't keep. Why?

What makes a day worthwhile?

"Believe me, count as lost each day you have not used in loving God."

— Brother Lawrence (1611-1691)

Thoughts, statements and observations (randomness alert)

1. No, I will not observe a Halloween dress-up code at work, even just for fun.
   
2. There is a family of mice living in my office photocopier-printer-scanner.
3. For some reason, the theme song from the 1980s Cantonese slapstick comedy Teppanyaki floated into my head early this morning and it just won't leave.
4. I need more sleep so my head will stop pounding.
   
5. Cats are adorable but not when they sing to each other outside my bedroom window at 4am.
6. Mouldy bread that has no appearance of mould on the surface, only on the inside once you've bitten it, is not part of the ideal Morning Experience.
   
7. I need more sleep so I don't snore at work and make my colleagues think the mice have morphed into Gremlins.
   
8. I am banned from entering any stationery shop with more than RM5 in my wallet.
9. I wish I could transplant the mice from the office photocopier to outside my bedroom window at home. They could then get the attention of the singing cats and lead them, in an authoritative and stylish manner they learnt from the Pied Piper, far, far away from my home.
10. You can't have your cake and eat it too. But you can get a cookie after the cake.
11. I need more sleep because the deficit is affecting my memory and I keep repeating myself because I can't remember what I've already said.