Williams Waterwall

A cool reprieve from the boiling temperatures at the Williams Waterwall, a 64-foot tall fountain in Houston Uptown. A supposed 11000 gallons of water flow every minute (on both sides of the wall).

When in Rome, do as the Romans do....

And when you're in US, that means eating big portions....! Arrived safely in Houston on Tuesday night and since then, I have not finished my dinner once! The portions here are gigantic. I haven't had much of an appetite anyway, think lack of sleep is catching up with me, which is rather unfortunate as the steaks here are yum yum yum!

Went to Fogo de Chao yesterday. All you can eat salad and steak. Can you imagine? As if the US 'normal' portions aren't big enough! At Fogo de Chao, we were given a card which had red on one side and green on the other. You help yourself to the salad bar in the middle and when you're ready for some steak, you put your card to green. Waiters walk around with different cuts of meat and they'll approach you to see if you'd like the cut of meat they're carrying around after which they would slice it onto your plate. If your card is on the red side, they leave you alone. Quite cool.

Ribs being cooked

Oh, and the margueritas here are delicious too! A reminder from Saltgrass....

Today, for the first time, I rented a car in a foreign country by myself AND to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road too! I was so nervous. The gentleman at the rental agency must have thought I'd never driven before, with the basic questions I asked him to make sure the car operated the same way as my car back in UK, just the driving would be on the other side of the road. Thank goodness it was an automatic car too. One less thing to worry about. I managed to drive safely from downtown to the Galleria and then back again. Although I did get slightly lost coming back and making my way from one end of downtown to the other. Got honked at twice. Not too bad going, I think. Don't want to speak too soon though - we'll see how the next few days go! Staying away from those margueritas from now on!

Beauty in unexpected places

There is a patch of land at the end of our garden where we dispose of cut grass. Whilst having dinner outside recently, I noticed that a rose had grown from that patch. We hadn't intentionally planted a rose plant there. It was supposed to be the place where we get rid of grass and weeds so that it'll turn to compose. We weren't expecting a lovely rose plant to grow!
Sounds cliched, but I thought it shows that beauty does arise in unexpected places even without the necessary nuturing care.

Which Mask to Wear?

We have multiple personalities. I don't mean that in a clinical psychological sense. We have different variants of personalities we express to different people. I guess how varied they are would be dependent on each person. There's the Work-Me, Home-Me, Friend-Me, Best-Friend-Me, Sister-Me, Daughter-Me, Fiancee-Me, Customer-Me, Weekend-Me, Babysitter-Me, etc. Not hugely different personalities but some aspects are amplified more than others depending on the Me I am. Some people would have seen me in a combination of the above. Less than a handful would have seen me in all.

It's a bit like choosing masks to wear. Whilst getting ready for work, we don a suit (or relevant attire), put on sensible work shoes and pick up notes/laptop. This happens on the outside. On the inside, we mentally prepare by slipping the invisible Work-Mask over. This is not meant in deceitful terms. (Although that does occur in some circumstances, such as faking degrees/qualifications in order to land a job, two-timing your partner, etc). Donning the Work-Mask may mean being more assertive, less outspoken, more structured, whatever suits the job really. Most of the time, we consciously and subconsciously choose which personality to show others. We carefully choose the words to say, things to reveal and outfits to wear.

Which is our true self? Underneath it all, I believe our core is same throughout. It holds our core personality and values. However, as we grow up, we grow shells to suppress or emphasise certain values. As a child, you may have been one who actively spoke your mind. If you grew up in a culture where this was seen as rude and 'children should be seen but not heard', it is likely that you now have a shell that suppresses your opinionated self which you will only reveal to closest family and friends.

Is it right to have several masks? I think so. People need different outlets. I know a PA who is very organised, structured and well-prepared. When it comes to planning her own holiday, her husband does all the organising. Why doesn't she apply her strengths from her day job to her personal life? Well, she needs a break from all that organising. At the core of it, I believe she is still just as organised in her home life and if her husband wasn't good at organising it, she would likely take over and make sure it is done well. But she trusts and knows that her husband will sort it out well in advance. So her core values are there. However, if one is respectful of deadlines at school/work but always misses appointments/promises with family/friends, it would suggest to me that their underlying value is not one of respect but rather, self-centred. They want strangers to have high opinion of them but don't really care what their loved ones have to tolerate. This isn't right - priorities are wrong.

Sometimes we put on the masks to fit in with others. Our Work-Mask may be based on amplifying the qualities that others in the same company have. Our Home-Mask may be dependent on how we want our neighbours to view us.

You remember the watches that have different faces that you can put on to match whatever you're wearing? Or the mobile phone faces that can be changed? I think our personalities are the same. We just subconsciously change it sometimes to suit our 'audience'.

A trip to the Safari

No, it wasn't one in Kenya or South Africa. One closer to home - the West Midlands Safari Park, with Bri, Zhu Shi and Zhu Xin.Giraffe visiting the cars.

Snacking time.

Some of the animals wandering the grounds of the Safari Park.

Bri and Zhu Shi

Me and Zhu Xin

Rock or pebble

Should one stand as firm as a rock or should one allow oneself to be swept away by others? There is a fine balance between holding on to a strong opinion, yet being flexible enough to know when to allow others to influence oneself.

Why is it that in some circumstances, holding steadfastly to one's principles and opinions is seen as being 'difficult' whereas in other scenarios, the behaviour is respected? On the other hand, one who sways in opinions is seen as unreliable and having no opinions althugh there are times when that person is seen as being reasonable.

Why can't people just respect others' opinions without trying to impose theirs on others all the time? It may be difficult to be a rock and hold onto your beliefs and opinions (assuming they don't hurt others!) but it could provide an easier time later on. Others would know that they would need strong justifications to get your opinion changed. But it is difficult. Would you be seen as a rock in terms of an obstacle rather than dependable? Your reasonings are always challenged, you are mentally exhausted from having to explain yourself all the time - at work and at home. These range from explaining why initial efforts were abysmal thus requiring rework, to choices in shoes/clothes/flat/hotel. Why do people need to challenge for the sake of challenging? See the big picture. Would it make a difference to the world whether or not the challenge is accepted or rejected? If it doesn't, don't bother challenging. Don't ask one to justify wearing a blue top vs a black top. Does it matter?

Or would they just see you as being stubborn? Perhaps it would be better to be a pebble so it's easier to be swept away by the waves in whichever direction the winds dictate. There is no need to make any decisions; they are made by others for you. Is that the best way for accountability and responsibility to fall from your shoulders? When there is a strong opinion though, would people take you seriously or would they just disregard it as another belief that can be changed by the right person?

To be a rock or a pebble? Can you be both? Can you be a rock and a pebble? Or must you choose one?

SW19

Strawberries n cream, Pimms... It must be Wimbledon! After a failed attempt last year to get into the grounds (we walked 15mins and still couldn't find the end of the queue), we decided to go in the second week this time. We trooped off to SW19 and hardly had to queue to get in or to get Court 1 tickets! (Queue for Centre Court tickets was even shorter!)


Even the queue cards were proper. Also given a guide on 'queueing etiquette'!

Gardens given a tennis look.

Ahhh - no Wimbledon experience is complete without strawberries and cream!






Left: Order of play

Right: Singles matches

"Henman's Hill" although Henman's already out!

Going into Court 1 for some entertainment! First up was M Bahrami and Gene Mayer vs Peter McNamara and Paul McNamee in the Gentlement's 45 & Over Doubles. Then on came 2001 Men's Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic partnering Henri Leconte to play against Gary donnelly and 'Bobo' Zivojinovic in the Gentlemen's 35RR Doubles.






Antics on Court 1 were hilarious! I was in stitches most of the time. Bahrami, famous for his clowning around, frequently pulled faces at his opponents and threw mock tantrums. When they completed their match (which Bahrami and Mayer lost), we were getting ready to leave when the umpire announced the next match. With Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion and three times Wimbledon runner up, playing, there was no way we were going to miss this! A good decision too because it was a hoot!

Ivanisevic and Leconte came onto court with bandages covering their heads. When they took the bandages off, Bobo used the bandages to tie the poor umpire up. With the umpire stuck in the middle of the court, Leconte took to the umpire's chair and entertained the crowd with superstar-typical-announcement of "We love you". He then proceeded to get the umpire to toss the coin. Leconte called Heads, then without seeing the result of the toss, decides that it was Heads and he chose to serve. When the umpire was finally given his chair back, he duly declared instead that Bobo and Donnelly 'chose to receive'.

Throughout the game we were entertained with
... Leconte's random whistling. At one point, Ivanisevic joined him with Bobo 'conducting' the both of them
... Bobo having a 3 vs 1 match against his 'long'-suffering partner
... Ivanisevic swapping places with the ball girl whereby Bobo also hands his racquet to the linesman. The ball girl wins a point!
... Bobo pulling a chair onto the court, sits himself in it and plays the match from there. He actually won the point!
... Bobo and Ivanisevic going into the crowd when they heard giggling; Bobo proceeding to have a rally with Leconte from the stands
... Bobo swapping places with Leconte in order to partner Ivanisevic then stands there without attempting to hit the balls, therefore losing Ivanisevic's-Leconte's points!
... Ivanisevic showing some dazzling form that won him the Wimbledon title, with a 140mph serve and some well thought out shots
... Ivanisevic going to the sidelines to take pictures with the audience
... Leconte putting two tennis balls down his shirt and playing the set with Sharapova-like squeals
... Leconte having a 'spat' with Ivanisevic when he missed a ball, asking him "Are you with me or with them?". Leconte missed the next ball, after which Ivanisevic promptly returned the question very loudly
... Hearing an 'out' from the linesman, Bobo runs to his bag (all while the play is still going on) and gets a chewing gum out for the linesman (to stop him calling the balls out)
... When the umpire ruled against them, Bobo promptly runs to his bag again to get another chewing gum for the umpire
... Ivanisevic mimicking some of his famous on-court tantrums by throwing down his racquet several times
... Bobo unnecessarily disputing the umpire's calls and whilst the dispute was going on, Ivanisevic continues to serve. Without a partner, Ivanisevic and Leconte easily won the points against Donnelly. During court end changes, with Ivanisevic and Leconte seated, Bobo quickly runs to the other end to get ready to serve to an empty court in order to get the easy points.
... with a winning shot from Leconte, the umpire declares Advantage to Ivanisevic (Leconte's partner), which Leconte got jealous about and complained to the umpire that it was him who hit the winning shot so it should be Advantage Leconte.

Ivanisevic showed a different side to his serious and sometimes foul tempered mood during his competitive singles career. This was so much fun.

It was such a treat overall! Really really enjoyed myself!!!!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Magical... To have a nanny who can pull endless objects out of a small bag... A nanny who flies with a magical umbrella... Medicine that tastes like whatever you want to... Someone who makes cleaning fun... One who gives children a taste of their own medicine without necessarily hurting them... Practically perfect!... A place where you can buy words and conversation... (I can think of a few who should sell them to balance out the 'noise'! See one of my previous posts titled 'blahblahblahblahblah....') Anyway...

If you haven't figured already, I went to watch Mary Poppins yesterday. Although I had to learn how to play Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious on the piano when I was younger, it was only at the musical yesterday that I learnt how to say it without looking at the word! It was fun! Really enjoyed myself!

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee...

Laptop-less

For the first time since Easter break, I didn't bring my laptop home with me for the weekend. Ah, it's so nice not to do work over the weekend. It took a bit of willpower on Friday for me to resist packing my laptop in its case and bringing it home. There's still work that needed to be done but I thought enough was enough for that week. It can wait till Monday. It's lovely to have the weekend to do what I want, which admittedly wasn't much but it was still great that it was time for myself! :)

Oh, in my two week absence from updating the blog because of hectic workloads, I still managed to take an evening off to watch the Lion King (the musical). Oh, it was brilliant. The vibrant colours! The costumes were so cleverly made to the animals come to 'life'. The giraffes, elephants, hyenas, Timon, Pumbaa...! Zazu was funny, as usual. Only (slight) disappointment was Mufasa's death which wasn't as touching as the film but it was still good good good!

Falling Leaves

Adeline Yen Mah writes beautifully about her childhood in China. Born as the youngest daughter in a family of five with her mum passing away not long after her birth, she has not had an easy childhood. In what would have sounded like a typical Cinderella set up, her dad re-married and the step mum was cunning and manipulative - even on her deathbed. She played the siblings against each other to her own advantage.

Adeline wrote of being left out most times. How she yearned for her father and stepmother's love and affection. How she wanted to be part of a united loving family. Time and time again, as a child, throughout school, going through to university and eventually in her own family, she tried to find out if her father and stepmother loved her. She tried to get them to accept her and be proud of her achievements. Time and time again, she was rejected.

Impressively, instead of being depressed by this, Adeline used all this in a positive way. She studied hard, she worked hard. All the time, all she wanted was for her parents to acknowledge her achievements. At the slight chance that they might, she dropped what she had to pursue that little chance that doing this or that would make them happy. It never turned out that way. However, she emerged triumphant. She is a success in her own right. Despite attempts by her own family to 'bring her down' (whom you would expect to be the most supportive), she came out of all this a real winner.

I respect her for what she has been through - the emotional and physical abuse, and turning that into something positive. Only a strong person can do that. Adeline Yen Mah did that.

Playing God

This is a rant. Just to pre-warn you.

I was infuriarated after reading this article. I totally agreed with PATCHES's contribution in the Opinion pages. It is indeed authorities' biased cruelty to dogs. Council 'president' Abdul Halim Abdul Latif says the situation only became chaotic when the dog owner turned aggressive.

Uh-huh.

So poor Eng Her Sun was going to sit back and watch the dog shooters just kill his dogs? I treated my dogs as my family and totally empathise with Mr Eng - I would go mental if anyone hurt my dogs much less even try to kill them. Council 'president' says they had 'no choice' because of mounting complaints from neighbours of the noise etc. Agree that perhaps Mr Eng should have been more considerate. Think about moving the dogs to other areas. But just to kill them on the basis they didn't have a choice? Time to stop using their brains to think about how best to get bribes and what excuse to give the caller on the phone about their poor service. I have been amazed at the creativeness these people have when it comes to inventing excuses for their sloppiness and laziness so it does show that they do have brains and can use it if they want to. Time to start using those brains for the right reasons - what about offering Mr Eng to re-house his dogs?

I must say - I'm not even sure why I'm shocked at the Malaysian authorities' actions. The bias-ness towards dogs happens all the time. In order to get a dog licence in one of the cities, you would have to get permission from your neighbours before you get a dog. I'm sure there is good reasoning behind this. But why dogs only? Why not cats? My parents had a neighbour two doors away who had about ten cats and there was no sign that he would stop the cats breeding anyway. Fair enough if it's his choice. But he doesn't stop his cats from trespassing into others' houses and doing their business in others' gardens. He doesn't stop them from climbing onto and scratching neighbours' cars. When asked about them, he merely shrugs. Then when one of his cats trespassed into my parents' garden and my dogs got excited, he got annoyed at MY dogs in MY parents' garden for aggravating the cat who trespassed. Ooooooh - was I annoyed then. Why blame the poor things whose only crime was to give all their love and trust to (wo)men - more than I can say for most humans?

So ok, agree that the authorities in here may have had a case. But why stop at dogs? If you have good reasoning for it, then the same should be done for cats, etc. I can make it my personal mission to find all houses with more than 2 cats (the allowed number for dogs in most places) and will happily provide it to the authorities free of charge. But I won't do that. Because 1) I don't believe the cats should be shot either; 2) I won't stoop to the same level of the authorities and smug dog shooters; and 3) I have better things to put my brain to use on. Authorities should think about having more events to make sure people are responsible pet owners. That they know when dogs do their business outside, they should scoop it up and dispose of it properly. That their cats should not wander around into others' gardens.

Here's another thought for the authorities thinking up of more excuses to make dog owners' (or actually, all residents) lives miserable and give authorities a chance to earn their money: Why don't you make all residents ask their neighbours' permissions before having a child? Ask all neighbours before you can have a piano, organ or any musical instrument - because it would make noise too. Ask all neighbours before you can have a motorcycle and take out the silencer so it that does the annoying loud vrooooom noise when it starts and goes.