LOVE, Kloudiia

I do my sister a great service now, by likening Jeff Chang to an angel’s voice. Indeed, there can be no false claims about this, if you’ve been to any of his concerts and listened to his live singing.

Last Saturday counted as the third time that I’ve been to Jeff Chang’s concert, and never once was I disappointed. No glitz, no glamour, just pure two and a half hours of unadultered singing and good music.

It’s more than half a year over, and slightly more than four months before 2010 is wrapping up. When I was in Iowa, I got an email alert from Google, and I was stunned for a little while. It was a link from years ago, when my blog was nominated by readers for the “Most Insightful Blog”, a blog award organised by this community Ping.sg. I don’t know why I am getting this link again in my email, after so many years, but it certainly gave me a jolt back to reality. And that’s why, I’m going to make a resolution here, now, with four and a half months left before finishing 2010. Hey, it’s better late than never, right?

When someone from the Health Promotion Board approached me to do something with them on positive thinking, I said yes without a second thought. I’m honoured, I thought. In my mind I figured it’d be some talks on keeping yourself happy and positive, but I was so wrong. They could never been more creative. Positive thinking and positive actions are their focus this year in the lead up to World Mental Health Day (WMHD) in October. Haven’t I been talking so much about minding our thoughts? That what we think will affect how we feel and what is eventually translated to real actions? This is exactly what HPB’s message is to all of us this year, and the messenger is not a person, not words, but art. Yes, art.

I was lucky.

Even though I burnt my lunch and dinner the day before–an entire six-inch organic spinach pizza. But because that one afternoon of bad timing–just five minutes–was sandwiched between two good days, so I was one happy woman after all.

Before that day, I had visited a friend’s house. Condo, she called it. Townhouse, I told Donna what we, in Singapore, would refer her humble abode to.

The outside view of her home

Happy July 4th! That’s what people say to each other today in Iowa. I said that to the smiley lady cashier with short blond hair at the supermarket too.

It has been a week since I’ve arrived in this city of literature. Ten days of reading, writing, more reading and more writing has not dampened my urge to want to read more. It has been such a liberating experience for me. Until now, the TV has been sitting in my room, observing my every movement and listening to my every breath, without uttering a single sound, as I haven’t allow it to. So, living without a TV is okay, after all, when there are better things to do.

For quite a long while, I was deceived. The cheery blue sky made me think that time had stood still at 5pm, when it had already turned 8pm. Night had come, yet, it didn’t show. So, this was the first greeting that this city had offered me. What a nice way, I thought.

The colour of the sky at 815pm in Iowa

Another view from my window

At 930pm, the sky looked had turned grey but still hiding a tinge of light. It looked like 7pm in Singapore.

Would Mitch laugh or sulk if he knew I had conveniently stolen his best-selling book title as the idea for the title of a blog in this humble little space? Judging by how friendly and warm he was by our very brief meeting, I doubt he would be upset.

Mitch Albom happily signing his name away!

Yes, I finally met up with this international best-selling author of Tuesdays With Morrie (now you know where my blog title came from!), 5 People You Meet In Heaven, For One More Day and the latest addition to his family of inspirational books – Have A Little Faith.

The verdict was out. I stared at the screen in dismay as two digits splayed out in a big, loud fashion – 73. How could it be? How could I have degenerated so fast over the last few days?

I was 73 years old, physically. But, barely a week ago was I only 63! So, what happened in between?

I couldn’t accept this fact. Depression overcame me as I slumped in the couch, pressing my knuckles and letting them sink deeply into the soft, plush leather seat – my comfort zone – and reflected upon my own misery.

When you think of a national park, what picture comes into your mind? Do you see a beautiful garden with blooming flowers dancing in the air, happy and fruitful bees decorating the horizon and possibly a sparkling lake radiating serenity and happiness to every visitor?

Well, I saw that in my mind, and it drew me like Winnie the Pooh to honey. I was hopelessly seduced and tempted to the idea of lunching by the lake. It would be idyllic and so romantic, I thought.

Dear friends,

It’s another new decade! Or well, almost. Remember the time when everyone was on their toes about the new millenium? We’re worried and still ful of anticipation of what this new era is going to bring us. New inventions, new dreams, new hopes.

Has it been like this for you for the past nine years? Or has it been even better than you’ve imagined? Or worse?

Well, whatever it is, we’ve come through those fears and we’re entering into the year that will mark the first decade of the millenium. I don’t know about you, but I’m truly, deeply, madly excited!!