Got a missed call earlier today from an unfamiliar number. So I called back. Conversation went something like that:
Me: Hi, I had a missed call from this number?Caller: Yes. Michelle?Me: Yes, who's this please?Caller: This is Richard.Me: Richard Heng?Caller: Yes.Me: Hi Richard.Caller: I just want to thank you. Do you remember years ago, you found my Sony Ericsson phone and returned it to the police station at AH?Me: ??? (this is obviously NOT the Richard Heng I know)Caller: This was in 2006 remember?Me: Erm... ya. I think so.Caller: Are you a mother?Me: Yes..Caller: I wanted to wish you a Happy Mother's Day. Sorry it came a bit late.Me: Oh... erm okay... Thanks! Thanks for calling. Very sweet of you...Anyway, the puzzling teleconversation went on for a couple more minutes talking about inconsequential things..
I vaguely remembered this incident but it was just really strange that he's calling me now.. After like.. what? Five years?
But one thing that really struck me when I heard his voice over the phone was that he sounded somewhat.. sad.
The skeptic in me was reacting to how bizarre this call was. But the other side makes me want to call him back and find out if he is ok..
P.S: Sorry for the mindless post. Just had to verbalize it.
Today is a day to give thanks.
To God:
for letting me wake up alive and well.To my sweet 6 year old present:
it's OK that you didn't get me a present because you are the best present of my life.To my family:
for cooking the mee swah with love, for spending time just chillaxing with me eating horrible ramen and waiting for my shoes to be fixed, for chatting over tea, for making time to have dinner and arranging a surprise birthday song. For just being my family :)
Thanks, Mei, for the lovely Mee Swah that you painstakingly prepared for me so late at night. It tastes great even though it's the first time you made it :)
My birthday dinner of Mudcrab & Caviar Ragotini..
..accompanied by Truffle Shoestring Fries..
..washed down with the golden Moscato. lovely~To my dear relatives & friends:
for the necklace and cake that you specially got for me, for calling and leaving me lovely messages on sms and FB, for remembering that it is my birthday.
Thanks for the lovely necklace, Lyn :)Today has made me realize that my life is meaningful and is made rich and beautiful because of YOUR presence in it. The wealth of my life has got nothing to do with money or assets but everything to do with the fact that having YOU in my life makes me feel
B lessed
I mportant
R espected
T hought of
H appy
D etermined
A live
Y oung
and most importantly SAFE, LOVED and CONTENTED
Thank you for being part of my life for without YOU, my life will not be the same.
When I was 8, my English teacher said this to me, "Michelle, you're such a tom boy."
Reflecting on my childhood and teen years, I realize that she was spot on. Looking at me, not many people will agree cos I spot long hair and I do wear dresses. I'm not particularly boyish in my behavior, androgynous perhaps but not manly. Details I will spare but suffice to say that I'm quite a dude trapped in a woman's body.
As a kid, I was sorely disappointed every birthday cos I was always getting gifts of dolls when all I wanted was a remote control car. My step-dad was the only person who indulged my fancy for cars. He would regularly take me to the petrol kiosk and buy me the match box cars after topping up fuel.
Other times, I would have to satisfy myself with watching the boys in my class play with their remote control cars after exam. They'd never offer me the chance to play cos I'm a girl and I was just too shy to ask.
As a teen, I've always clicked better with boys than with girls. Even though I was from an all girls' school. My closer buddies were always guys. I guess I like them for their straight-talking, don't-give-me-no-shit style of interaction. If they didn't like you, they'd say it to your face instead of pretending to be OK and then gathering forces behind your back to whiplash you from the dark.
I also cannot stand manja (read: whiny) people and girls in general, tend to display that trait more openly. On a lesser scale, it gives me goosebumps (not the nice kind) and on the higher annoyance scale, it makes me want to gorge out their eyes (ok maybe not so violent but you get the idea)
I still like my guy friends but as I get older, I am starting to appreciate my girlfriends more. Maybe it's because they are ever so patient when it comes to listening to the same problem over and over again. Or that they are that much more intuitive in sensing your downtimes without having to hang a placard over your neck to proclaim that you are having that time of the month, hence back off.
Yesterday, after ploughing the length and breadth of chinatown, tiong bahru etc. looking for chinese dance shoes, and failing to find it, I posted an update of FB asking if anyone knew where to get them, elusive shoes. And lo and behold, a whole bunch of girlfriends left me various threads to hunt them down. So, guess what? I found the shoes. Well, not exactly the chinese dance shoes i was looking for (lady in the shop told me even the chinese dance girls are no longer wearing them, guess production has ceased) but I did find some comfortable canvas ballet pumps.
Thank you girlfriends! You have made this girlfriend a happy girl :D
PS: In case you are looking for ballet pumps or dancing shoes, go to
Costumes Connection. They're located at:
390 Victoria Street, #03-21 Golden Landmark (Landmark Village Hotel) Singapore 188061
My happy dancing feet dressed in the black and red Canvas Ballet Pumps from Costume Connection. Got a pair of each of course ;)
