Easter Monday

Today is Easter Monday in the UK. It is 'supposed' to be a religious thingie for the Christians (correction: Catholics & Protestants) but would just be viewed as a public holiday by the people here at large. Hoardes of UK citizens have been making their getaway to the nearest airport since Thursday nite as Friday is also a bank holiday (bank hols=public hols). It makes me think how 'lucky' (depends on how lucky means here) for us in Msia to have sooooooo many long hols. In general, UK only has 10 public hols, but Msians have 15 public hols- and if you count the birthdays of so and so, the special hols for certain states... it may be around 20 or so. The way we spend our hols is different too. Brits would normally go for some exotic holidays overseas but a majority of us Malaysians would rather spend our holidays 'balik kampung' spending time with the folks. When I was in Sheffield, the secreatary told me that she spend her hols gallivanting with hubby in the romantic streets of venice. How she can afford such expensive holidays, is beyond me... because these holidays can be very expensive.
The thought of having a holiday myself did strike me a few days back. I have been dreaming of frollicking the slopes of some 'Sounds of Music' mountains or driving on the romantic roads in Holland, reliving the Mills & Boon stories... But neither can i afford the time nor the money. So, for now , public holiday or not, I shall be happy tucked away in this office of mine- doing better things.

Punish your child some other way please!!

Why is it when some parents cannot tolerate with their child's behaviour, they always go for the physical punishment? Called mom just now. Told me the story of the brother-in law (BIL) 'pang'ing Ayin. Come on la, just because the kid throw tantrums, no need to punish the kid like that!! There are more ways than one on how to teach (aka punish) your child. The crux of the story is that BIL did it in front of abah. Rule of the thumb is NEVER punish the children infront of their grams... they can never take it. My dad is the kind who will not confront things if he doesn't like what he sees. In this case, he didn't 'sound' BIL. He simply told mom to leave right there and then...(macam linda lak!!).Abah's plan thwarted though since mum is not the kind to leave things like that... she of course is the rational one by going to Ayin to comfort him. Sometimes, I cannot understand the BIL. You would thot being in the profession that he is in, he would be the sensitive kind. I cannot argue that he does treat my sis well. But with Ayin, he can be a wee bit harsh at times. The problem is, Ayin gets 'it' for the tiniest of problems. And, being Ayin he will only throw tantrums when he knows that he is in the right. That is why I feel that the punishment is unfair most of the time! Perhaps, being an eldest child, he did receive similar treatment from his dad when he was a kid.. but please, not all families treat their eldest child like that la!! I doubt that Ayin will be unaffected from all these. He is just 4 goin on 5. It's the psychology effect that I am afraid of. . (wipe tear)

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon

Favourite line..."Please be patient with me"

Married but free..

Yesterday, I visited a friend from Msia who is visiting her husband in London. We haven't seen each other for more than two years. We were single then but she has a family now. Seeing her in action, I mean cooking, tending her kid, looking and acting so much like a wife, mother and housewife made me think of how many of my friends' lives have changed and mine still hasn't. I like my life now. But is it just possible to have the same freedom as being single if you were to get married? Will you be missing it much (the freedom)? Do my friends who have built new lives miss their single freedom they had before? I have never asked them nor have I ever dared to. I don't want to be responsible to waking up the demons lying low underneath their beds of marital bliss. Perhaps 'freedom' when single and once married changes one's perspective into a 3-dimensional turn. But what if you look at it as gaining more freedom once you get married. Like, if you have freedom when you are single and if freedom is a unit, then surely marriage means you have 2 freedoms instead of 1, ie. more freedom: single + single = 1 freedom+1freedom=2 freedoms. But for a couple to achieve these 2 freedoms, there are constraints to the equation that needs to be adhered. 1+1=2 is subjected to each of the singles to recognise that these 2 freedoms need to be respected but within the boundaries of the marriage institution, then and only then will these freedoms be enjoyed fully. But then again, this is just my theory ...