As always, Im not quite early in my Christmas shopping (or I get really distracted…huh huh huh). But I’m certainly making progress. Small gifts which I hope will say “thank you for blessing me with your friendship and help this year”.

Another thing on my usual year-end activity is to contribute to the WorldVision Life Changing Gifts programme. This year, there’s an option of giving as a group and I thought “Why not?”. This was something which I’ve been wanting to do, such as a group outreach activity to bless others, as we are really blessed. But with time not on my side and logistics and everything else, this seem the easiest way to start.

I typed out an appeal-email of sorts out to the group to rally for support, with the understanding that donation to causes is a very personal thing.There was no obligation and certainly, their support is towards the cause, not just cos I was rallying for it. We raised some funds which went to 2 causes we wanted to support.

I’m so glad we managed to do this together as a group, and maybe, just maybe, we can do bigger things next year.

The doorbell is very important in the yveon household.

Huh huh, I wonder why.

And it recently went wonky on us – it rings even when there’s no one at the door, which is irritating as much as it is freaky.

Is it another parcel?

Which makes our backup doorbell (aka kaizer) goes wonky too – he barks when the doorbell rings, regardless if there is anyone at the door.

Hiyah. Fail leh.

So we finally decided to replace it today.

Let’s hope this doesn’t go haywire. I just have to deal with the dingdong, that sounds exactly like 7-11.

It’s a store and more!

IT JUST RANG (as I was typing this entry).

Both tehpeng and myself looked at each other – Oh no!

Cos we sure aint’ expecting any parcel delivery today.

We were relieved to see someone at the door!

It was a volunteer from Red Cross for Project Rice 2009. What an ingenius way to help – a cup each from many households to make up many many kgs of rice.

I hope you get a doorbell ring from them this weekend!

I scooted to town during lunch to satisfy my need for some retail therapy connection. Having done my usual round, I settled down for a quick lunch at SoupSpoon (Paragon Basement) and people-watched at the same time.

There were alot of chic taitai-mummies with cute babies in tow but somehow I was attracted to checking out the daddies. Don’t get me wrong. I find it heartwarming to see a man display emotions/affections with their children.

I saw a young father’s joy upon nearing his wife and baby son, his eagerness in carrying and playing with the baby.

Sharing the same bench was another family. I saw the father’s dedication and love as he put his arm protectively around his mentally-disabled daughter and using the other free hand to dig around his backpack for something. He used his one hand to try to tear open the plastic bag, took out an apple and bit off small chunks to feed his daughter.

This scene touched me so.

Suddenly, the office-politics grouses from the OLs (Office Ladies) seated next to me seemed so trivial.

I cant help but be drawn to this sentence from this article (written by a schoolmate, no less!) :: “Some pupils shouted out ‘niaochao’ (‘Bird’s Nest’) at a picture of the iconic main stadium. Yet all but one could not say what the running track was used for when shown a picture of the stadium’s interior. They would not have seen one in their lives.”

A whole load of reflections was lost in my attempt to publish the post which is now lost. Maybe the words are not meant to be in public, by God’s will.

But this is still here, as stark reminder that the world is such, we don’t have to go far to see or hear of income disparity.

Give thanks for what we have. For every person living it up, there are 10 (or perhaps many many more) trying to make a living and make the best out of whatever life’s got to give.

“To all those who wish aloud to go to Beijing to watch the Olympics up close, he has told them: ‘Study hard so that, in future, you can get good jobs and travel to Beijing or to other cities where I, your teachers or parents, haven’t been.’

As Nat turns 8 months (4 months to a year!*gasp*!), I think I really enjoy and appreciate this stage of his life. He’s much more interactive (otherwise known as active!) and seems to be able to understand us and the surroundings more.

He’s really such a joy and very fun to bring out now (despite the logistical nitemare packing of his food/milk/clothes/nappies before we can actually set foot out of the house), cos he’s so curious about everything.

Just like last evening, we brought him for a little walk on his stroller to tehsis’ place after dinner, for a BYOB session with jayden & parents, sniffles & parents and shutterbug & ms clover.

Anyway, he was good and sat throughout the short journey (but made longer cos we had to find wheels-friendly paths), didn’t fuss at all (he used to fuss to be carried less than 10 minutes in the stroller).

It’s also our first time bringing the stroller to brave “terrains” other than shopping centre grounds. Hee. It went over carpark, slopes, staircase (which daddy has to carry both stroller and boy. Thank God we had Combi lightweight!) and erh…slushy ground.

Now we truly realise and understand how un-equipped HDB estates are for wheelers.

When I agreed to help my friend for her campaign, with testimony and perhaps media interviews (I stop at being photographed!), I didn’t think it would be a radio interview, and a Chinese radio station at that!

So, in my splattering of Chinese (mixed with certain English phrases), I had a short chat with the journo – sharing that I see day-off for my helper as family time for us and as with every employee (me included!), no one wants to see the boss 7 days a week! So a day-off is definitely beneficial and appreciated.

Erm, I think it wasn’t as bad as I thought but it was definitely not easy conversing in proper Mandarin!
Definitely kudos to JiejieZhang and Dee who are both in the land of Chinese speakers!

And tehdad just texted me that the interview was broadcast at 8.37am. (while on the way to work!)
Yeah, quite precise hoh?
He’s like the family Factiva or Mediabanc, always sending relevant interesting news clips to us.

I really hope my little voice helps towards the campaign!