Moving Day

Today, I moved out most of my stuff from my current room to the new room that I will be staying in starting from April. I feel nostalgic because before I know it, I have stayed in the same room for more than six years. It's easy to keep track of the duration because I moved in to this place a few months before the landlord had a kid. Now they have 2 kids and their daughter is in primary one. Doing some simple math, it should be more than six years that I have stayed here. I guess age is really catching up with me because it used to be common to move every few months. Now, it's every few years. Pretty soon it might be every few decades... if I live that long.

I guess in the last six years I have accumulated quite a bit of junk as well. I was glad that Jane, Jerry & Ricky came to help me move. I am grateful that I have friends around who were willing to spend half of their day helping me move. Jerry got his father's vegetable lorry to help in the moving and it was a great relief for me. However much I would like to think that I am self-sufficient, the job would have been humongous doing it by myself. I guess John Donne got it right when he said 'No man is an island.' Jane kept exclaiming how dusty my room was and what a mess it was, while she help pack the remaining stuff that were still lying around the room. Ricky & Jerry just tirelessly lugged all the boxes down to the truck. And with people around, they quickly point out to quite a number of useless things I had that should rightfully belong  to the bin. Oh! That's my old computer speaker box you just flattened.

Hopefully I'll adapt to the new place soon enough. Aljunied. Very convenient and few more stops nearer to my work place. Rent is higher too due to the proximity to town. However, it's near to the MRT and rather near to a public swimming pool. It's also just beside a library - not that I foresee myself using it too often. Unpacking will be another nightmare that I am not going to think about for tonight.

My money training

In the month of February, I tried an exercise in cost cutting - I limited my cash usage to $700 for the entire month. At least I tried to survive on a daily $23 budget. So how was it? Well...I think for me living on a budget is like going on diet for some. They give a good effort but then they bounce back fatter than ever. It's like that for me...not that I tried very hard. Anyway, it was easy on certain days but then there's always the occasional stuff that crops up - visitors, special meals, concerts, books, movies. Honestly, I prefer not having to be stingy on every little decision. It is a good practice - like fasting.

Maybe I will try it again - one of the other months...being a person who aspire to be a bum...I am nothing like a bum. Well, I think Chris McCandles (Into the Wild) has great appeal for me. But he is quite extreme...more loner than I will ever be.

Departure

As I lie on my back nursing a backache that was caused by my stupidity, I am thinking about the news that was conveyed to me by my father about half an hour ago. My uncle in Ipoh (my mother's younger brother) has passed away. Although we meet only once a year during Chinese New Year, it saddens me that he will be leaving behind 2 sons who are still in school - 1, I think doing SPM(O levels) and the other in lower secondary school. It saddens me that my grandma who is still active and working hard to do house chores and maintain her dilapidated house will have to attend the funeral of another child - the main breadwinner of the family. I am reminded about how much she wept at my mother's funeral and how sad it will be for her in the coming days. Life is often cruel to some and it seems like my maternal grandma was not spared the pain of sending away 2 of her children. My heart goes out to her and my aunt who will be without a husband.

Death is inevitable for all of us. I pray for my uncle's family that they will not be overwhelmed with sadness and find the strength to move on. I pray for those who has been dealt harsh hands in life that they might find a glimmer of hope in their everyday lives. I am reminded that life is fleeting and to live it to the full. It is my reminder to be more grateful for the friends and family around.

Davao - trip to Mt Apo

Davao

It's been a while since I posted some pictures so here are some pictures of Davao. My friends and I went over to Davao last December to hike up Mount Apo. Unfortunately, there was a rebel conflict at the base of the mountain and the military was stopping people from going up. So we were stranded in Davao for a few days. We managed to get the guides to take us to a nearby waterfall and had a night camp there. The trek was short but was challenging because of the mud which was ankle deep. By the time we reached our camp, our shoes were soaked and mud-caked. The waterfall was not exactly what we came for but as they say 'Even a bad day camping is better than a good day at work'. I enjoyed myself and had a bit of opportunity to look around the city. We even managed to visit the police station because my friend, Fang, lost her wallet in the mall. She pouted for a few days because she was not able to hike up Mount Apo and was determined to get back to it this year. One failed trip but sometimes the detours that are served along the way are just as enjoyable.