Postcards, 'Money' biscuits and Gran Torino

Postcards
I received two messages from Yvonne and Gwen today thanking me for the (belated) birthday cards I sent them :D They really sounded like they appreciated the cards alot! It makes me happy to read their messages telling me the cards have made them happy :) Especially for Gwen, who is facing quite a bit of pressure at work. It's so good to be able to able to make a little difference to another's life, even momentarily.
Funnily, I also received a postcard from Lioness Jas today! Haha, today is a postcard day for me.

'Money' biscuits
I bought a pack of Marie biscuits from Zellers on Sunday. I'm munching on them now. I knew I had to buy the pack when I saw it. The familiar taste of milk and butter..mmmm...somehow reminds me of those foregone, hazy afternoons at home when there was nothing to eat and we'd find comfort in the 'money biscuits as afternoon snacks. It's always complemented by coffee or tea. And it's Dajie's favourite biscuit, I remember. I don't know why tasting the biscuit in my mouth reminds me of my childhood days in the house and evokes memory of it as Dajie's favourite biscuit. I forgot how we come to call it 'money' biscuits...probably a mixed result of mis-pronounciation and its round shape resembling that of an enlarged coin.

Gran Torino
Met Barbara and her two other French friends at Weldon Starbucks this evening and ended up going to the movies with them. Shauna and Lucy are really pleasant French girls.
It was a rather spontaneous decision on the spot! I don't regret it though, because it was a movie worth watching. It was about how an apparently weird-tempered but innately good-natured old man in a remote US suburb overcame his prejudices to befriend his Asian (Vietnamese) immigrant neighbours. He was even willing to sacrifice his life, which was at a terminal stage as he was suffering from lung cancer (I suppose), to deliver them from the attacks and humiliation by a bunch of gangsters.
"What does a 27 year old overeducated virgin know about life and death?", he said condescendingly to the young priest who was trying to counsel him back into the way of god.

What is life really? What is life besides breathing, thinking and working? It's also about love, happiness and fulfillment. Fulfillment of what? Fulfillment of unattained goals, dreams, unsatiable desires and emotional voids. Being able to 'feel' for the present, make sense of everyday work and rejoice in the love and concern of loved ones are about the best that we can do as human beings to appreciate mortality, I think.
To me death just means the end of life. It does not seem to have any meaning and even if it has, it has no significance to the living who will never know what happens after death nor will be comforted by any knowledge of such because the fact is that they remain bereaved.


This discussion is getting a little morbid, especially at this hour. On a lighter note, just want to mention one last thing about yesterday night's party at Rebecca's. It was great! Got to know Shu Fang whom I clicked with immediately. She's having so much fun with the company of so many other Singaporeans in Waterloo and the extent that they went to to plan for their travels (excel sheets, daily programmes, driving schedules...etc) is so amazing to me. Quite jealous of the company, I would admit!

Anyways very tired now, going to sleep. Agenda tmr: IPIP comment, PLT weekly comment, PLT research, CLS followup and Corp Finance Readings. Phew.....