Vision

It's been a very nice last afternoon of 2020. I did my last run of the year, and basked in the sun for a bit. :) Listened to a beautiful 听海 re-composition, just at the beach. And was talking to various good friends. 

Came back, finished some work, and continued with a chat with Zeal, just sharing about life and how we would enter 2021. As I sat there, Starbucks coffee delivery came, the whole afternoon felt so precious - me alone in the house warmly decked in the cold, coffee nourishing my soul, moments of flashbacks of 2020, heartfelt thanks for all my hits and misses and the learning, sharing about life and what 2021 would bring... and at that moment, I just felt very contented, and just thankful. 

It must have been a very unusual 2020 for the whole world, and as I contemplate in Dec about what would gird me for 2021, I already knew in my heart that I would need to be able to see. It's special because it's not anything so out of the blue, but because 2020 passed me by where I was just busy, but I had not paused really, to think about where I was headed towards. 

That busy feeling yielded more than just - feelings of negativity, and nothingness, some days. So, on 8 Dec, I woke up strangely to - "For without a vision, the people perish". This is found in Proverbs 29:18, and on 25 Dec, while at Al Ain, I woke up at 5.30am, this was ringing in my mind as I journaled, and then, the Christmas sermon was... about vision. 

Perhaps, this, or the lack of this, was what made it tough and challenging. Most times, and for many facets of my life, I do not know where I am heading. 

So this would lead me into 2021. I am just very thankful for moments like this afternoon, like 8 Dec and 25 Dec early mornings. This is where I know that God is real, is reaching out to me, is speaking to me. :)

Vision. 

The Queen's Gambit

Such an enjoyable series to watch, and exciting at times. After MJ's - The Last Dance, this is the next series I enjoy very much on Netflix, and I finished the last episode "The End Game" tonight. 

Maybe it's that slightly rebellious and competitive streak in me, and in competitions - the tensions, that excitement and the anxiety. 

I really enjoyed the acting and the story, and the going back in time too. At one point, I googled and wondered if the character Beth Harmon was real. There was a 1983 novel of the same name, and the series was based on this. I was quite captivated by her piercing eyes, and the portrayal of emotions, the intensity, the focus - and her story of being an orphan and learning to play chess thru' a janitor, to being adopted by an alcoholic mum, to holding her own in the numerous competitions and life, while struggling with her own demons, the alcohol and pill addiction. And in the ending episode, the overcoming and the cheers of her friends who stood by her. This whole series is rich and complex, and explores the mind of a genius interwoven with insecurities and life's pains at different points. 

I just so enjoyed the series, and it was even more powerful, because I don't play chess. I imagined that if I knew the game, I would be even more hooked. 

Watched too the whole netflix production synopsis too - https://youtu.be/LzDhpEInMIg.                          And learnt about cinematography and set designs, and the possibly a little more about the film industry. It is just amazing to me.

This is really such a great end to an on-leave Monday. :)

My kind of chill :)

随心所欲

It was a very happy and easy Christmas break. Happy because we just followed our hearts; easy because there's not much frill and planning involved. 

We drove to Al Ain on Christmas eve, and even the ride out to the outskirts was chill and nice. Road trip feel. Truth be told, there's nothing much to see, except for the safari, and Jebel Hafeet - where we've gone before. But that feeling of - We are going on to a trip - feels very very familiar. It is that feeling when you know that for the next couple of days, you can put away some mental strain, leave behind the work and other thoughts, and just relax and enjoy, even if it meant just a short 2-day getaway. 

It's also the feeling of chilling in the night, sleeping in, and then waking up to a hearty buffet breakfast. Everything about the 2-night stay at the hotel reminded me of the various holiday trips done before. :)

The highlight was of course - the safari. Haha, that's the reason why we went to Al Ain anyway. I must say the safari and the zoo were pretty impressive. Clean, spacious, and the local Safari guide was pretty good. I enjoyed the walk around the whole zoo; safari was on the truck and we were pretty close to some animals - though not the ones I ideally would have liked to be closer to - the lions, cheetahs. :-D

I think I relish my "once-upon-a-time" dream that I might have been a vet, and that's why I really like to visit zoos and get a little up close and personal with the animals, or observe them. We were also fascinated by a family of mongooses. I basically just watch in amazement how they dig holes and kick dirt and sand. Ah - and mongooses are a community breed - they chatter to each other all throughout the day. I don't think however, that I'd fancy coming up close with a mongoose though. :-}

I think another great highlight was finding a really unassuming tucked-away Korean restaurant (Sonaji) at a corner of the Al Ain mall. It is newly opened by a Korean couple prob in their 60s? And... the food was really good. According to the Korean ajuma, she told us that everything is home-made - and TripAdvisor, Google, FB - all had raving reviews. So good that we did both our dinners there, and I wrote them reviews, and hope that they also open one restaurant in the heart of Abu Dhabi. The Soontofu, Kalguksu and Korean Fried chicken - really very tasty and yummy, and the soontofu had that crabby seafood freshness too. Maybe cos the weather is also considerably colder in Al Ain - the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, and that's why the steaming hot tofu stew was extremely comforting and nice. 

Our trip was really 随心所欲。 We had a walk at the oasis too - and this is a Unesco cultural site. While this place is a desert, amazingly, the people who lived in the land were able to draw water from deep below ground, irrigate the land, and there is agriculture in the palm and date trees. We went to this whole oasis area and marveled. It was a nice walk - midday sun warms the skin, and with a cool breeze. And - there are quite a few mosques even within the oasis itself. 

And so - the short staycay passed us by this 24 - 26 Dec 2020.

I am thankful for this Christmas season break. The joys and hopes and beauty of this season - where we start to plan and look forward to 2021, will mark the next chapter and year of our lives. :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

圣诞节的小小创作

It's been so much fun. :) The different attempts, synching, laughing and trying out different songs. 

Christmas is really a beautiful and wonderful season, and I am so glad and so determined to enjoy, and make the best of the last 2 weeks of this year. 

So, this weekend, it was off to a great start and countdown. Both Steve and I are on leave, and we made elaborate plans on Friday to do this and that... and haha, none really materialized because we kinda slept in late, did house work, took K for long walks, but that's also a nice way to spend the weekend. Just 随心所欲。Perhaps, the most exciting discovery this weekend was that we found a super yummy laksa. We saw it on Jeremy's fb, then Sean and HN said the same, and then we just decided to go try it. 

And, the crazy me had laksa last night, and tonight, and we travelled 30 mins to reach the laksa. :-D 

The SGD$16 vegetable laksa. Basically, you can add other ingredients (kind create your own laksa), but I was just happy with an assortment of veges. 

And so, maybe our grand plans will happen tomorrow and the remaining 2 weeks. Yay - on leave for quite a couple of days!! So, we will go shooting (rifle and pistol - haha, so look forward, haha haha), and then do a Christmas weekend staycation at Al Ain (so super look forward too). 

And in the midst of the day, finally, the 圣诞的小小作品 was done! I had played my part first, and ensured both the saxo and guitar tunes matched. And then Alice stitched it together. Ahha, and last night she demanded that I added in the last segment of the video with a hi-fi. Laugh Die Me. I so enjoyed the mini project, and the fun we had. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiMa3kjKLVk&feature=youtu.be  

Laugh Die Me. The hi-fi in the last part. :) 

So look forward to Christmas!

Towards the most wonderful season of the year

Friday, was about dusk and its rays. 

Saturday was a whirlwind of sorts. 

Sunday, saw some misty morn and a relieved end. 

The first week of Dec was one

With some emotions - 

Work and a small scare. 

Thankfully, the week has ended. 

Dec week 2 will mean,

It's a step closer, 

to the most special day of the year.