Saturday, June 10, 2006

Nothing To Complain About.

In less than two hours, I'm turning 16, and here I am, typing on my blog, listening to some old classic songs (The Chords - Sh boom) from Cars' Soundtrack, as Carina and others have fit laughters watching their cantonese reality game show in the living room leaving behind trails of their laughter spilling into my room ever so often. That's my birthday eve. I bet some people are having fun, getting drunk, hitting on girls on their 16th birthday. Oh, I'm certainly not complaining! Don't get me wrong, I'm just putting it in comparison. I'm not that kind of teenager anyway. I practically have nothing to complain about on my 16th birthday.

My birthday present definitely came by early. It felt like Christmas came by a month early! After all my frustration for waiting, I got it early! Ok, I need to confess. I realised that I was over-obsessing and rather self-centered over the 2 days that I needed to wait for my camera. Wasn't a really proud moment, I'm sure. I really need to take things easier and not get myself too (extremely) caught up in a certain thing. I'm sorry... but, I think God heard my prayers and decided to spare me the endurance. I got my camera on Wednesday and I was too busied with it to actually blog anymore.

I actually begged dad to drive me down to Gurney on Wednesday morning to see if my camera's arrived. "I know the guy said Friday but there's always a possibilty, isn't it? I'm sure the shipping of the product from Singapore wouldn't need FIVE days! Please, please, please!" I begged him over breakfast, still holding up my five stubby little fingers. It got me acting like a kid, huh? He relented and drove me down after lunch. Oh, the sacrifices my dad does for his children. The manager made a phone call to confirm that there was stock and I was already gleaming when I noticed some positive tone in his conversation. The next thing I know was that I was fiddling with it and the User Guide for the rest of the night. Spent my next two mornings trying my new camera out at the park.

Although my 16th birthday's not filled with wild parties (alcohol and sex), I still have my own little league of enjoyment with my family. Buffet lunch with dad, mom and Edmund (Grace was working) proved to be satisfying enough. I mean, as you can see, I don't come from a extravagant background (the camera was a gift, ok! Not easily bought!), so these luxurious buffets don't come that often and when it does, I'm considering myself very lucky. We did have our own little celebration with that buffet lunch (in Evergreen Laurel Hotel) but we had another one today with amah and akak, still leaving out Grace cause she was working, at Cititel Hotel. This time, it was more of an oriental themed buffet and as usual, I was bloated by the time we reached the car. Can't help myself.

Having lunch today really got me thanking the Lord. I had my mind fully on the children in Iraq (or somewhere else, I'm not sure) that had no food at all and all those people who were struck by natural disasters, over lunch. I couldn't complain at all, although the rendang tasted really funny. All my life, I've never starved before or even lived life in difficulty. And these people (AIDS victim, natural disasters victims and war victims) as I know it are living their everyday lives in so much difficulty. I was kind of emotional when I thought of it, which had me saying a little 'thank you' to God for the things that I have and for the wonderful family members I live with.

Speaking of which, I'm not sure this has got anything to do with the coming of age but I'm beginning to find Edmund annoying lately. As in, really really annoying. He copies everything I say and does everything I do. He's rude and obnoxious. He's over-pampered and a spoilt brat! Sometimes, I really feel like ripping his head off, but that thought really makes my stomach churn. He comes to me everytime asking for the camera, in a whiny, complain-y tone, when I've already said, probably a thousand times that, "The camera is not a toy for you! It's much too big for your tiny little hands and you might drop it! Please understand. I can only give it to you at home!" He will never get the message in his head. I accidentally hurt his arm (although I was pretty sure I didn't do anything) today, but felt oddly pleased. The things he does and the way he dresses is most of the time embarassing and I'm always the one trying to "correct" things with him. We just don't see eye to eye anymore, these days. Mind the age gap.

Then it occured to me, maybe it's because that he's a spitting image of me when I was his age! I did the same stupid stuff he did and I wore the same stupid clothes as he did! It's embarassing to think of it now. But I didn't have anyone to save me from my embarrasment then, did I? I'm trying to do him a favor, aren't I? At least he doesn't have to feel as stupid as I do now when he's 16. But he just won't listen! He's such a stubborn head! *sighs* Well, I suppose I'll just have to let it be the way it is. If I was saved from those embarrasment back then, I wouldn't be who I am today. I might as well just let him learn from scratch. I'll just leave him alone.

Grace kind of made up for the times she didn't spend with me by taking me for a shopping trip yesterday! There were SALES all over the place in Gurney Plaza yesterday and we shopped till the doors closed on us, literally. Grace spent about RM200 on me, last night and considered that for my birthday present. No words can possibly tell how thankful I am to my family members! She got me some shirt from U2 and it amounted to RM200++. I have to say, it definitely felt odd spending her hard earned money just like that. There was also a little trace of guilt in my voice after that. She assured me that she was happy to spend something for me for my birthday. She got herself quite a bunch of stuff too, you know! Handbags and shoes, just to name a few. It had me thanking God again for what I was getting.

Leave Edmund out, I have nothing to complain about on my 16th birthday. I have my cake, Evergreen Laurel Hotel's Chocolate Devil Cake, waiting to be picked up tomorrow. I know mom and dad have spent a fortune on me and I really appreciate all that they've done. Grace too! Amah had a fair share by giving me an angpao (red packet) for my birthday. I get it every year, without fail. That's her form of a good birthday wish, I assume. I really don't know how to thank all my family members for this wonderful birthday they've given me. All I can do is to say my prayers for them, thanking them for all that they've done and the troubles that they've been through just for me. Just know that... I am grateful.

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