Lunch with a REAL Princess

Right, this came totally unexpected. I attended an international symposium on Japanese craft heritage at the British Museum for 2 days in a row, and I've had the pleasure of meeting and dining with the Japanese princess of Japan's imperial family.

I was introduced to the princess through a Japanese friend of mine. She was unbelievably charming and polite; so much that I blushed in front of her. Yes, imagine... Princess Akiko of Mikasa made Chungy a.k.a Dr. Love blush... Now that's rare. However, she was very much down to earth, and sheepishly giggled over my poor attempt at trying to converse Japanese to her. "Shit..." I thought, "Just what I need: some royal embarresment..." Must've been a funny sight watching me bowing constantly in a shy manner.

We chatted over coffee and sandwiches, where I was shocked to be invited to have lunch in her presence. She turn out to be very intellectual: she is currently pursuing her PHD on Japanese Art History at University of Oxford.

[Of course, all I can do was to secretly take a photograph of the princess: wasn't in the mood to get arrested...]

[A photograph of her from Google, slightly less modest and more eye-catching...]

Just Can't Resist A "Meme"... Whatever It's Called...

Found a "Meme", as they call it, from Hedonistics Anonymous's blog.

1. Your name plus "ness"?
Chungyness/Chunginess. (They really should add this fantastic word into the dictionary.)

2. Two feelings at the moment.
Nostalgic & down.

3. What are you listening to right now?
Sound of laptop humming & dehumidifying machine grumbling.

4.Done anything you regret so far this week?
Perhaps said somethings I shouldn't have over the phone.

5. Describe where you are right now?
In my living room/bedroom, surrounded by furnitures and academic paperwork.

6.The highlight of your week?
Life is monotonous and uninteresting as it is already.

7. What are you craving to have right now?
At 5AM in the morning? No appetite.

8. Who were the last people you ate with?
My sister.

9. What are you scared of?
Snakes & creepy crawlies.

10. Last movie you watched?
Mr. Woodcock. (Nothing great but kinda amusing actually...)

11. Last songs you sang out loud?
Marvin Gaye - Me & Mrs. Jones. ("Meee... eee... anddd... anddd... Mrs... Mrs. Jones... Mrs. Jones... Mrs. Jones... Mrs. Jones..." ^///^)

12. Are you thinking of someone right now?
My girlfriend, Fion.

13. Who is the last person you talked to?
My sister.

14. Last thing you downloaded on your computer?
Jay Chou's complilation of songs in a torrent file.

15. Have you changed much this year?
Became more studious and nerdy. -_-"

16. Hug or kiss?
Both, or depending on the message I'm intending to send.

17. Who was the last person to text message you?
Yuan Zhang, on grabbing lunch together with his cousin at Holborn.

18. Where was the last place you went to besides where you are?
Waitrose for grocery shopping.

19. Do you speak any other language other than English?
Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay & Hakka; basic proficiency in Japanese.

20. Last thing you watched on TV?
"How Things Are Made" on Discovery Channel. (I know... I'm a gimp...)

21. Do you dress for style or comfort?
Depending on occasion and company.

22. Name someone with the same b-day as you?
My ex-manager Yan's brother in China, if I remember correctly.

23. Ever had a drunken night in mexico?
Nope, but was so drunk on tequila a few times, my friends & I started speaking fluent Spanish, screaming "AIYAYAYA..." after every shot.

24. Whats the craziest thing you've done?
Went diving into swimming pools just in our boxer shorts of every single villa my friends and I passed by on our way back from clubbing in Kavos, Greece.

25. Favorite color(s)?
Blue, green, white, black & brown.

26. What's your favorite cereal?
Kellogg's Crunchy Nut.

27. What is your favorite Michael Jackson song?
It's gotta be either "Beat It" or "Billie Jean".

28. Who do you love?
My girlfriend, Fion.

29. Any plans right now?
Go to bed soon, its 5.25AM, and I've got class at 10AM.

30. What are your plans for tonight?
Reheat and eat "pasta ala bologna" which I cooked last night for dinner.

31. What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
Hopefully, a nice warm assuring phonecall.

32. Last time you smile?
Last time I visited Manchester.

33. Who do you wanna be with right now?
My girlfriend, Fion.

Let me see, I tag... Allysa, Hui Ling, Hui Lynn, June, Mei Tien, Tess, Wendy & Yuanie. Bwahahaha...

Things Just Don't Seem Right

My heart is no longer warm and content when I close my eyes and try to sleep,
without the sound voice in my ears every night before I sleep.
Anything I eat or drink is tasteless; for the first time my lunchtime felt so much longer than usual,
I spend the remaining free time wandering in my mind, gently caressing the ring on my middle finger.

Many times I've refrain myself from picking up the mobile phone to call,
telling myself you'll call when the time is right; when you really need me.
Many times a day I contantly check my mobile phone for miss calls,
but only in my dismay to find that only my battery is running low.

I tried to clear my mind, hoping a 5AM morning jog will refreshen my thoughts,
but running beside the calm and quiet river in a cold dark morning simply adds to the sorrow.
The underground tube and train journeys seem so much more distant and silent,
which reflects the empty hollowness in my heart; a heart which is incomplete.

Lord, Please Grant Me Patience.

Lord father in heaven, in the name of Jesus, I pray...

Lord please guide her in all her endaevours,
may she find wisdom and peace from your guidance.

Lord please bless her with the courage and strength,
to overcome the hardship and pain she faces at this moment.

Lord please deliver and extend my spiritual care for her,
let her understand that my love for her is unfaltering.

Amen.

My Inner Childhood

Gone were the days when one can simply release their inner child without being a laughing stock.

This picture was taken last summer at Lake District.

[This might sound very wrong, but... I love to ride and when I do, I ride hard... ^^"]

So... It Has Come to This

Sometimes I really pity what has come between my mum and I. I used to be so very close to her emotionally that I tell her everything. Now, I hardly tell her anything.

She reckons I'm in a dire rush to grow up and refuse to acknowledge her existence. I hardly think so. I think she's unaware of the fact that her children are growing up and aging into the next demographic level - whether she likes it or not. She can blame me; I blame evolution.

Just the other day, I receive a phone call from my mum which went abit like this:

[Picked up mobile phone...]

Me: "Hello?"

Mum: "Chung Fui arrr? Why did you not pick up your phone?"

Me: "Having dinner."

Mum: "How come everytime I call you're having dinner? So how's studies coming along?"

Me: "Fine."

Mum: "Ohhh... Oklar... Mmm..."

[Phone call ended...]

Since I left for UK 7-8 years ago, all she was ever concerned with was my studies. I felt neglected. I felt that other tan my studies nothing else mattered anymore. As you can see from the latest example which just happened yesterday.

Sometime I think my mum forget how old we actually are. I remember an incident last summer when I was chilling with a childhood friend Shaun (whom my mum knows very well) until 12 mindnight. She started calling me on the mobile phone and giving me "the treatment", making me feel so guilty inside. When I told Shaun, he simply said, "har? you're mum STILL doesn't let you go out late?"

*Sigh* Somethings just don't change. I told my mum once, "if you keep treating me like this: when I get married and my wife sees you treating me this way, she is going to lose respect and think I'm weak and useless.

Some point in my life, this will have to stop.