Soup

Soup is always the dish I anticipate the most in a dinner, especially when we eat at home. Gwai lo soups are great, but Chinese soup is the best. It is the essence of the Chinese culture. Each one has its own special flavor, serves a particular purpose, and easy to make! I am the Soup Diva in my family. Often times the last drip of the night's soup would end up in my stomach! It's hard to be satisfy without a bowl of good Chinese soup.

Thanks mama for making me good soup always!

Goodbye, Autumn.

Body butter has become my best friend. I need to wear socks when I go to bed. My hair dance crazy in the blowing wind. I am very sensitive to seasonal transition. It often stimulates a mixture of weird yet familiar feelings. One good thing to leave early to Hong Kong is that my summer got extended for one extra month. But I really wonder what TO is like right now. Sunny but chilly? Everyday is a scarf day? TO is beautiful when colorful maple leaves decorate the city. Beauty in its natural way. Trees are aliens in Hong Kong, which makes me extra miss TO. It would be great if I could hold a cup of hot Tim Holton green tea, and relax myself under the sun.

I miss TO <3

Shek O

As I walked closer to the sea shore, the more frightened I became. Once upon a time the ocean was the safest place to be. It was like going back home, and being in my mother's arms. But it has been a while since I immerse myself in the deep blue sea, I was unsure if I could handle its power. There was no time to hesitate. I know today was my very last chance to swim in the waves before the cold winter approaches.

I felt weak as I swam slowly away from the beach. Waves hit my face hard without sympathy. It was a dangerous act to swim without any estimation of my strength. But it's too late to rethink. I was thrilled to swim to the platform again.

There were four platforms floating across the sea in the beach's length. Sunset was just half an hour away, leaving the platform I was swimming to to be empty. Victor, who is my childhood buddy, used to sit on a platform with me for the whole day. Letting the mad sun to kiss our skin was how we spent an ordinary summer day together. Sometimes we fell into silence, doodling in random thoughts in our heads. Then we shared what we thought of in the silent moment. But the highlight of the day is always diving in the sea from the platform. Victor was my teacher. I spent 3 days learning the skills in a week, and he was there to guide me. Of course we both had red hot sun burn afterward. And diving in the sea has become our favorite activity to do.

Spending my time on an empty platform was not bad, although it would be nice to bed accompanied by Victor. But I got the blue sky and warm sunshine with me. I dived from one platform, and swam to next one. Nothing matters except the dive. Life suddenly became fabulous. This is how much I like diving in the sea. As I tried to slowed down my dive, the experience and the feeling became more vivid to me. The moment of forever, thanks to my golf swing.

To be continued......

Growing Up

Growing up means seeing the same things in a different perspective, so different that you cannot open your arms to the truth immediately. Indeed, it is very likely to be an upsetting reality. Of course it makes you smile from the bottom of the heart from time to time. Despite my homesick, this trip to Hong Kong has been the best one out of all the previous times. Parents (the good ones) always love their kids fully. I do not regret getting a lipoma on my back, and being sent to the hospital to get rid of it. Without you, lipoma, I would never discover how much my parents care about me. I truly feel the love this time. Meanwhile, I also see how tough my parents have to work in order to get along.

A marriage is not as easy as it seems. Sometimes the bond takes a lot of strength to maintain and carry on. Hong Kong is 全民皆賭, meaning every citizen is a professional/ non-professional gambler. You see gambling tips on the most popular newspaper everyday; general public discuss what to buy in the stock market; a long line up to buy lottery tickets every Wednesday; men yelling out the number of the horse they bet on. Basically you are surrounded by this insane gambling atmosphere. It makes you stifle so much that you want to run away. Gambling is pretty much what my father lives for. This biggest hobby of his occupies most of his leisure time. It is the only thing that gives him the thrill in life. Mostly he only gets excited when he talks about it. I didn't believe in my mom until I see it with my eyes. Dad has gradually loss his connection with the world. Although he picks up newspaper on a regular bases, but he pretty much focuses on the gambling section. He is only capable to discuss his business and gambling. It hurts me so much to see the truth. I do not doubt how much my dad loves me, but I wonder what he can do after his retirement. Is he going to continue living like this until the day he dies? What else does he like to do other than gambling? How can my mom bears this when it's only him and her in the house after his career is over? It is out of my imagination, or I should say I don't dare to imagine the future of my parents. I can only hold my tears to myself.

After dating this guy for a year, my good friend is going to get married soon. I should congratulate her to find the love of her life so early (she is just as old as me, still in her early twenties). But is a marriage simple as that? My parents' case makes me wonder about the meaning of marriage. Forming a family with a stranger takes more than love and romance to sustain. It is a commitment to take care the other half for a life time no matter what. In depth understanding is necessary too. Without knowing this person in a full scale, how can you sleep beside him/her for 50 years? Other than giving birth to a child, getting married is the most important decision that requires carefully consideration. Perhaps I have over complicated the situation. Divorce is so easy to do in this era. All you have to do is sign a piece of paper. But is it that easy? My suggestion is always choose your partner with your mind, not purely with your heart. This is probably the key to a successful marriage.