THE THINGS YOU TAUGHT ME

He left us five years ago and yet, his presence is still felt around the house. The lazy chair where he used to sit is still there and oftentimes, my mind can still see him sitting there in quiet solitude after breakfast. His clothes are still neatly folded in the drawers and his bougainvillea plants around the house are still flowering. There are so many things that I can tell about him but my words fail me. What will I write? Where do I start? I know no stories told will ever justify the memories that I have of him. For Abah, this poem is dedicated to you and what you have taught me.

The things you taught me I will always know.
How could I not? The roots have sunk so deep:
All lessons of the heart that I will keep
No matter who I am or where I go.
Kids learn from what their parents are, and so
You are my book of life, the thoughts I reap;
Only in your arms I quiet sleep;
Under my words your voice sings soft and slow.
From you I learned the rules of right and wrong
Against which I at times had to rebel,
Though with regret I carry with me still.
How lucky I am to have been loved so well,
Even as I pushed against your will,
Relying on a father fair and strong.

GOOGLE DOODLES

In conjunction with Hans Christian Andersen's 250th birthday celebration yesterday, Google came up with a new banner depicting scenes from Thumbelina replacing its company logo. Google has always managed to come up with interesting images and ways to depict special occasions, festivals and individuals. The Olympics and Sesame Street (I blogged about this last year) banners really caught my eye and I'm sure they are going to come up with more interesting ones in the future. What makes the Hans Christian Andersen banner interesting is the way it is presented. There are only five pictures but all of them are presented as if you are reading a book. Simply brilliant!

AM I A NERD?

I had always thought that I was quite sophisticated, worldly and street-wise until one of my friends told me recently that I could pass for a nerd. What! His statement really shocked me and I could not believe my ears. He pointed out my lack of interest in sports and outdoor activities to support his opinion. He also told me that I had no sense of fashion and my wardrobe was totally blah. I have a one-track mind and can be quite obsessed with certain things that interest me. Hmmm, he has a point (a few actually) there but does that mean that I qualify as one? I have to admit that I am not a jock and I prefer to stay indoors rather than sweat myself out doing physical activities. I also have to admit that I am no longer the social type and I prefer to indulge myself in solitary activities. But does that make me a nerd? Well, I don't really look like a nerd and I don't really go for anything that is considered intellectual or academic in nature. Yes, I love to argue with my friends but most of the time, my ideas and opinions are baseless and do not carry any merits. So how can I be considered a nerd? I am quite adept socially (when I choose to) and I am not really that weird-looking. I am not into the latest fashion and style since I don't want to be a fashion victim (I was when I was younger and I no longer want to go down that street). I simply choose to be alone at times since I can't stand noise and crowds anymore (age factor, I guess). I don't like to participate in so-called 'popular' activities since they are simply more of a fad than anything. I like to focus on one thing at a time because I want to prioritise. But does that make me a nerd? To a certain extent, maybe I am but nerds always think that they are cool and never realise that they are nerds...

p/s I found this on the Net (I think it's just brilliant) and it definitely makes me feel better!