Lest I forget

Walking on the pedestrian footbridge to work, I came across a pair of familiar, dirt encrusted, dry, cracked feet sitting in a criss-cross position. He usually sits under the bridge near the Kowloon Public Library with his plastic bag of his only worldly belongings, reading a Bible with red-edged pages. Today was the first I've seen him at this particular location, a favourite amongst the homeless. Prickly eyed, I stopped a few feet past him, struggling to locate my coin purse from the depths of my HK$259 H&M handbag. I turned, withdrew the HK$5, and placed it in his little bucket. Within a moment of seconds, he had thanked me profusely ("Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!")and I was once again walking briskly to work. His words still lingering in my ears, and a warm sensation in my heart.

It was after work, I saw him standing across the zebra crossing. Hardly any cars appear on this one-way road, so ignoring the angry red man in the traffic light, I began my way across. He was a smartly-dressed kid with a cheerful smile, holding the hand of his papa, his mama smiling at the two of them as they strolled to the light. His father makes as if to continue his stroll, ignoring as I did, the red man's warning. He then pulled on his father's arm, refusing to budge, "You can't! It's a red light!". Slightly irritated, his father, who appears to also be a frequent visitor of this particular crossing, explains to him that no cars go past this route and moves forward once again. Once again, a tug on the sleeve, "You can't! It's a red light!" He starts hopping from one foot to another, adamant yet the cheery smile still on his face. By the time, I had already made my way across the black and white stripes, a smile had formed on my previously worm-out face. It had only taken less than 10 seconds.

I see police cars, The Standard van, congesting in front of a restaurant with the tacky name of "Asian Pacific Restaurant". Down the road came the sirens of ambulances and the buzzing of police on motorbikes. And then there they were in their PE uniforms and brightly coloured backpacks. It was field trip day at The Grand Stage. Which coincidently is where I am supposed to be partaking in the High Table Dinner tonight at seven, the time I leave Click Clock.

what i'm looking forward to

Change. For the better. Change in environment, change in culture, change in lifestyle, change in friendships, change in values. So sick of the same routine. The same twenty minute walk down the steps of Sheung Wan. The classroom walls.

It's time to experiment, to make attempts, to TRY something new! Make a purchase on taobao, pay a visit Toy Story land, find a job in North America. Go on a mission trip. Break the monotony, the comfortable space that leaves no room for improvement, for inspiration.

So it's the end of the year again. Sitting on a stool, the boys battling Gears of War III in the background - seems like any other day of the year. Aside from the mere four hours that marks, another end. Another passing of time. How was 2011? It's hard to recall. Patchy memories fill the brain. Beijing. My first trip with le andy eyes and the lovely Sarah & star. Korea. Where I came to know the healthy, innocent and fulfilling friendship of girlies at Hanyang amongst the crowd of lewd guys and rave parties. And most recently - just yesterday - my best friend broke up with her boyfriend and fiance of eight years. Eight years. Their marriage was set in March of 2012. I was to be maid of honor. Growth makes people change. And sometimes makes ugly things happen. It's been a year since I've seen the fam - miss them so! Putting my mind on buying that one way ticket back home, or is it now? In four months time I'll be done with my bachelors. The three years has almost gone by, wouldn't say swiftly, but in due time. Decision making time again. 

I've read somewhere that unless you write it down, it's not going to happen anytime soon. So here they are:

• exercise.
• read a book a month.
• write. 
• pray.
• get involved. 
• find & do what i love.

Goodbye eleven, Hello twenty-two. 

Currently sitting in class when I came across this photo on Nujin's Facebook and suddenly recall having this same revelation yesterday when playing a game with a name to the likes of "Where's the problem?" with my little student Hinki yesterday. The rules were simple: Show the child photos of odd images and have them point out what is "wrong". Photos of tables with human legs, birds flying upside down, and raining umbrellas were shown, and I was thinking how inspirational these were until it came to me that this is how society is limiting creativity - telling children that imagination is a problem. And the ones who don't listen to convention are the ones who make a statement... but if we weren't so constricted with our views, wouldn't we feel less inhibited when expressing ourselves? Less afraid to say what is "wrong" in terms of what is the norms. Less likely to laugh at others who think differently than the stereotype. Just an idea. Like raining umbrellas.