Party of a Lifetime

Mum’s 50th Birthday Committee – comprising my godmother, a couple of my Mum’s closest friends, my siblings and I – decided that for Mum’s 50th it would have to be celebrated in a BIG way. Huge. Retro-style. With balloons, helium, streamers, a male jumping out of a cake, a retro fashion parade – the works!

We worked undercover feverishly for a couple of months and there developed heightened senses to tell many lies, deceits and basic bullshit. With our tall tales, we succeeded in transporting many decorative items, a projector, a digital camcorder and a fake cake (measuring 4 ft x 1 ft) right under my mother’s nose.

My sister, a bad liar by nature, aged 10 years in the process.

Although I consider myself an accomplished liar (and managed to train a few committee members along the way), I still have not recovered from the party. Looking at the pictures, I can’t quite imagine how we managed to pull it off exactly one week ago.

Party mode. We flew over 400 balloons; helium and non-helium.

Jumping-out-of-cake boy in rehearsal

Mafia Boss (and Godmother), Annie

Helium-happy boy, Andi

Caterers arrive at the party venue; we decide where to put them

Decorations had started as early as 10am

Last minute, frantic phone calls (read: lie-telling)

One of the many surprises throughout the night; Grandma with my Aunty Ling who traveled with Aunty Belinda from Melbourne to celebrate the Big 50th.

My wonderful, kooky-retro family

Celine ready to party

The series of surprises; Mum’s colleagues surprised her at the gate; her close friends jumped out at the front door. Family members entered via the kitchen.

Birthday cake: Cute eh? Mum’s has a liking for chookies.

The exhausted committee!

Top row, left to right: Dad, Cheh, Sunny, Mum, Annie, Shu’, Ngat Har

Bottom row, left to right: Noel, moi, Yen Yi, Sharon, Celine, Andi

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Note: If you are friends with Celine on her Facebook, you’d be able to spot more photos on her album!

Chook Overload

My Saturday was filled with:

• High level stress
• Anxiety
• Madness
• Over 400 balloons
• 50 screaming women dressed retro
•  Surprises
• A half-naked male jumping out of a cake
• An all-male fashion auction
• Euphoria
• Exhaustion

Yes folks, it was Mum’s surprise 50th birthday party!

It was a success. I’m still giddy and high from the adrenaline, stress and exhaustion.

Pictures will be up soon!

How low can you go?

Dear all,

While this blog does not garner much readership from many, I would still like to alert you to a book currently on the market.

This book was written by Natasha Hudson, called Puisi Indah Sri Pari-Pari – a collection of children’s poetry in Malay.

Her book contains 3 accounts of blatant plagiarism:

Kek Coklat by Natasha Hudson

Saya mahu satu kehidupan,
Kamu mahu sesuatu yang lain,
Kita tidak dapat makan kek coklat,
Jadi kita makan sesama diri.

The original ‘Cake’ written by Roger McGough

i wanted one life
you wanted another
we couldn’t have our cake
so we ate each other.

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Si Kura-Kura Kecil by Natasha Hudson

Ada seekor kura-kura kecil
tinggal di dalam kotak
berenang di tepi tasik
memanjat di atas batu

dia cuba menggigit nyamuk
dia cuba mengigit kutu
dia cuba menggigit berudu
dia cuba menggigit aku

dia berjaya menangkap nyamuk
dia berjaya menangkap kutu
dia berjaya menangkap berudu
tetapi dia tidak berjaya menangkap aku

The Little Turtle by Vachel Lindsay

There was a little turtle.
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle.
He climbed on the rocks.

He snapped at a mosquito.
He snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow.
And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito.
He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow.
But he didn’t catch me.

********************

Mentega kuning, jelly ungu, jam merah, roti hitam by Natasha Hudson

Mentega kuning, jelly ungu, jam merah, roti hitam
ratakan tebal
katakan cepat

ratakan tebal
katakan cepat

sekarang ulang
sambil kamu makan

sekarang ulang
sambil kamu makan

janganlah bercakap
bila mulut kamu penuh

Things We Like to Eat by Mary Ann Hoberman

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thick,
Say it quick.

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread
Spread it thicker,
Say it quicker.

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread
Now repeat it,
While you eat it.

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread
Don’t talk
With your mouth full!

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To non-Malay readers, I apologise. To those who do read Malay, you will see what I mean.

It is blatant plagiarism besides the grotesque translations. I am not a writer but I am a reader. And it is disgusting.

Read more:

Thru d eyes of toughcookie

Bibliobibuli

Jannah Raffali’s blog

Pik Chek.

2005

Anonymous friend: Hey! Where are you off to?

Me: Oh, watching a movie.

Anon friend: On your own?

Me: Of course!

Anon friend: What movie are you watching?

Me: De-Lovely.

Anon friend: Hah?

********************

Whilst listening to about 10,000 pieces of music (will explain its purpose in due time), I stumbled upon a few songs from the De-Lovely soundtrack. The movie was shot in 2004 and tells the story of the American song writer Cole Porter and his muse, Linda.

I don’t think the movie was very well received at the cinemas and I pin it down to ignorance.

For the longest time, I have been searching for that one elusive song from the soundtrack called “In the Still of the Night”.

Amidst listening and searching through a pile of songs today, I found it.

In the still of the night
As I gaze from my window
At the moon in its flight
My thoughts all stray to you

In the still of the night
All the world is in slumber
All the times without number
Darling when I say to you

Do you love me, as I love you
Are you my life to be, my dream come true
Or will this dream of mine fade out of sight
Like the moon growing dim, on the rim of the hill
In the chill, still, of the night

Like the moon growing dim, on the rim of the hill
In the chill, still, of the night

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Music and lyrics: Pure poetry.

“What is wrong? What is right? What must one love, what must one hate? What is life for, and what am I? What is life? What is death? What force controls it all?”

~ Part V, War and Peace 

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When I got through the first 50 pages of Tolstoy’s War and Peace I thought I might be able to actually get through the next 50.

When I reached page 100 I seriously doubted if I could actually understand all that I was reading. I flipped back and re-read Part II just to be sure.

I’m now at page 700. The novel is intense and dramatic and I am in complete awe of Tolstoy’s writing.

Wish me luck that I may actually complete it!