Poignant Mp4 Hunt

After months of procrastination, Son decided to part with his reward for the gadget he had set his heart on. The holdup very nearly prevented him from purchasing one, as the nearest speciality shop does not carry Son's desired model anymore due to the manufacturer's upgrading exercise.  Son was panic stricken as his monetary reward doesn't permit him to own an upgrade. 

It was disheartening to see his hopes dashed and I did, what I think every mom would do, offered to fetch him around to hunt for this scarce model in other shops, though none a stone's throw away.

He trudged impassively into the next complex, heaved a heavy sigh upon reaching THE shop. He moved with uncertain steps towards a salesperson who then led him to a display counter. I wasn't hopeful and chose to stay at a nearby distance, readied my car keys while scanning my memory for similar shops in the vicinity. I glanced at Son, noticed his relaxed shoulder, then caught that unmistakable gleam of triumph in his eyes!

 

Such an emotional upheaval in a day, all for just this one Mp4............

X Factor Lesson

'X Factor? Another talent show?' Son exclaimed after I managed to convince him to view this video sent by a friend. He isn't too keen on reality shows now after the recent American Idol letdown.

Still, he sat down, with much reluctance, clearly annoyed at being interrupted. He watched impassively at the intro but when Emmanuel Kelly made his way to the stage, I noticed he sat up straight whilst his eyes fell on Kelly's physical structure. He then listened with rapt attention and seconds later, was totally immersed in the sterling performance.

At the end of the song, Son continued to gaze at courageous Emmanuel Kelly with utmost respect and admiration and without a doubt, Son was moved. 

Yeah, in a very brief encounter, this feisty young performer definitely taught Son a thing or two about meekness........

Emmanuel Kelly vows X Factor judges

Son Keen In Beaded Jewelry?

I was taken aback when Son asked if I could design a beaded necklace with matching earrings for a friend. A very unusual request indeed as he has never shown interest in this particular handmade jewelry hobby of mine let alone knows what I am capable of creating with miniscule rocks.

An unexpected request for a significant someone? My curiosity was piqued, and casually I asked, 'Who is this for?' I realised I was holding my breath, not trusting myself to speak anymore yet searching Son's face for any telltale signs. Without altering his facial expression nor displaying a hint of mortification, he replied me nonchalantly, 'It's for N', it's her birthday's next week!' Now, N is not the only girl to receive birthday present from Son BUT she is the first of Son's girl friends whom I have been commissioned to create a jewelry masterpiece for!

My mind went into turbo mode, are they.......... Nay, I refuse to let my imagination run wild, choosing instead to harness my thoughts into designing Son's out of the world request.

Why then am I getting such vivid images about birds and bees.........?

Son Plays Judge

Malaysian gay pastor to wed 
After Son read this sensationalised news, it triggered an almost immediate uncouth, unthought-of response. Actually it's not totally surprising, for one who doesn't mince words when he feels strongly about certain issues. 

For one whose understanding of holy matrimony is between two people of the opposite-sex, this recent worldwide brouhaha of same-sex marriage is totally repulsive to Son. It shook him to the core and he had no qualms vocalizing his feelings.

Listening to him, I detected a hint of holier-than-thou attitude, and before he got carried away with his harangue and create further verbal damage to mankind, I knew I have to intercept. 'Son', I called out loudly to him to ensure I got his full attention. 'Do not judge...' I paused, for these three words to sink in. He looked ill at ease, then whispered, 'or you too will be judged.........' (Matt 7:1)

This is dedicated to a friend who has been faithfully following all my posts. Greater partner, you are not judged!

The Jacket Plot

I was getting breakfast ready when Son barged in and stood in the kitchen doorway. 'Hey Mom, did you see my jacket?'  'Nope' I said, not even looking up. What gives my teens the idea that I was supposed to know where every one of their possessions was. Son's spinning pen, his hair gel, Daughter's hairpins, her bracelet....

'I've looked everywhere, Mom.'

'Huh, your room?'

'Everywhere.'

I doubt that sureness, Son isn't known for his detailed pursuit for lost things, he hasn't the patience. The phrase, leave no stone unturned, is foreign to him.

'I know where I put all my things, somebody must have hidden it.' He shot an accusatory glare at Daughter. Daughter held his glare then gave me her I-don't-know-what-he's-talking-about look. Son walked around aimlessly, insisting he always puts his things away properly (right!!).

He finally left for his learning centre, still fuming, still convinced it was Daughter's prank. An hour later, I received this text, 'found my jacket at the gent's'. Hmm, another conspiracy or perhaps the work of a scatterbrain..............

MTV World Stage 2011 Hysteria

Son had set his heart to be there come-what-may-come-who-says-what from the time this event was broadcasted. However, the big question then was - how to get the money can't buy ticket? It has to be won in contests, redeemed with cutouts or through unscrupulous black-market transaction.

What Son didn't realise was Daughter was secretly accumulating the required 5 newspaper cutouts to surprise him! Awwww, such sweet gesture!

Meanwhile, Son and friends were trying all ways and means to get hold of some tickets and his frenzied efforts got on Daughter's nerves till she inadvertently blurted out her covert intention. I watched Son's countenance changed, he was visibly touched and could only mutter, 'thanks sis, thanks!'. I love my teens when they get all mushy!

Son eventually got the elusive pass, nope, not from Daughter's cutouts as the minimal number of tickets were very quickly snapped up. Son's complimentary ticket came from a coursemate, a girl.

How 'un-cliche' - two damsels came to the aid of a distressed knight.............

Mind + Money Battle

Two tourneys in a month and Son managed to add to his monetary savings by securing one of the top 5 positions in his board game battle. He is awfully pleased with himself as he sees the goals which he sets for himself slowly unfolding. I'm happy for him as I know he puts in long hours of tough, mind challenging practices daily.

His goals:
1) remain in the top 5
2) pocket more $$$

All the winning money amassed over a number of tourneys presents him with a difficult dilemma - to buy or not? this or that? with or without? 4G or 8G? He went back and forth weighing the pros and cons to each question. He scours the net to check out gadgets to ensure every cent of his 'hard earned' money yields the best returns.

Sigh, and I naively thought sitting through a 9-hour board game battle a day is tough........

Spice Son

It's only a matter of time before Son succumbs to the cold and recently, I heard him sniffing and sneezing, followed by long groans all day long. I anticipated this coming when he decided to take late night showers - to keep himself awake and to keep cool from the current humid weather.  Each time he emerged from the bathroom with a satisfied look and is refreshed, great, but wrong time of the day! 

He dreads the heavy headed feeling and recoils with shudders at the thought of my surefire solution to the problem. Pharmaceutical medicine? Nay. I'm uncompromising in my teens' health matters and in my opinion, they shouldn't inundate their bodies with chemicals for common ailments. Many of my tried and tested for generations remedies consist of natural herbs and spices, the common ones being ginger, tumeric, clove, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cardamon, garlic, etc.

Much as he despises it, he will down cups after cups of my concoction with pinched nose! Foul smelling? Of course not, although it does leave Son smelling like a curry dish............ 

Son's Room Aka War Zone!

I've been hit by Murphy's Law left and right for the past few days - everything that can go wrong has gone wrong!

And I chose this time to enter Son's room, aka war zone, aka landfill. His room can be described in two words - utter chaos!! I have, long ago, stopped getting into a power struggle over his room, about keeping it reasonably clean. I have since tolerated what I considered gross by my standards but is to him a heavenly haven.  However, that day, the sight of  his room got me all riled up and I felt my anger rose rapidly.

Instantaneously, I barked out orders and my voice grew louder and louder until I was almost shouting. There was like a runaway train inside me, uncontrollable, unstoppable. I just launched into a tirade against everything in his room.

This ugly scene went on for a while, and it was the look of anguish on Son's face that stopped me in my tracks and my senses slowly returned.

I hastily left his room before I could wreak any more destruction. My heart was going a hundred beat a minute.........

Rumpus Rally

Son was keen to participate in an impending street rally in the center of our country's capital, lobbying for peace and fairness. Is Son patriotic and nationalistic? Not really, well at least not for now. He only wanted to be part of history, to be in the thick of an infamous event and not exactly standing for a cause close to his heart. While I don't advocate street rallies, I believe in the cause and would have no qualms joining too if there's a fixed venue for the gathering. Taking it to the streets is akin to creating a ruckus.

Son wasn't easily dissuaded especially since his friends and him have already formulated several action plans and were in high spirits of their debut rally.

When I told him that he might be selected to receive free food and accommodation, his eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, 'Cool!'

Free food + free accommodation = INCARCERATE HOTEL.............

Nocturnal Creature

Lately, Son has been delaying his sleeping time at night, giving reasons like
1) wanting longer hours in a day
2) to complete his studies and assignments
3) to practise his board game battle

I'm of the opinion that it is more of a 'keeping up with the Joneses' inclination. He once told me some of his friends hit the sack no earlier than 3am!! Looks like Son tends to share this proclivity for a nocturnal lifestyle.

Knowing well that my protests will fall on deaf ears, I held my tongue. His initial few attempts proved futile, I caught him sitting on his bed, fast asleep with a book or his board game pieces in his hand. However, that didn't deter him, he's bent on staying up late.

I'll stay a passive observer for now. Since the lights stay on when he dozes off, I'll occupy my time by seeking ways for him to foot the electricity bill.................

Wooden Planking

I was astounded seeing Son's stretched body across the chair, face down and arms by his side, trying to stay immobile. He stole a sideways look at me, then relaxed himself and cautiously let himself down.  He grinned and said, 'I'm planking'. Huh?

Son proceeded to explain this craze, then coaxed me into trying it. I hesitated, then my curiosity got the better of me. I chose the floor instead of the precarious looking chair, followed Son's guidance and found my face in close proximity to the concrete floor.

'Great mom', I heard Son suppressing a snigger, 'you are real wooden..............' 

Hiatus

Regret that blogging was recently on hiatus becos my brain had gone on strike and inevitably switched to a slumber mode! No amount of cajoling could rouse it to meet target dates.......

Pen Spinning Craze

Son picked up a new craze, pen spinning. He and friends modify still good pens with additional parts from here and there to make the pens more spinnable at high speed.

Son is hooked and twirls the pen anywhere and everywhere. He's adamant to better his friends in several complicated tricks.

When he first managed to spin a pen, he proudly showed off to Daughter and me. Then he shoved the pen in our direction and cockily challenged us to just-give-it-a- try. Without missing a beat, I grabbed the pen and spun it right in his face! His jaw dropped. He didn't know it was my boredom killer favourite in school.........

A pen spinning club in Thailand

Thin Teen

'Burn fat, build muscle' - this is Son's concocted mantra since his initial obsession with calories, dieting, BMI and exercise begun. He dreads the 3-letter word, F.A.T and has this intense drive for thinness, especially his abdomen area.

He was about 12 when he started restricting his food intake, that's when Mr Puberty hit him and he was more aware of the changes in his body. The amount of food that he allows himself gradually decreased to quarter his regular portion - from a mountainful to now a thin, flat plateau portion!

He often laments that he has too much tummy fats, and unless my eyes are deceiving me, what I see is an acceptable amount of midsection! He religiously keeps track on calculating his body mass, an activity which has eased its way spontaneously into his lifestyle.

The amazing thing is, his bountiful energy didn't dissipate inspite of his small meals and he uses that as an excuse of not needing much food.

Am I worried?  50-50, and this is one battle I chose to fight, albeit slowly and gently........

Hot Fitness Workout

Yesterday noon, Son surprised me by asking for permission to go for a run around the neighbourhood. This indeed caught me off guard as he has never done it before as his workout has always been confined to gym. I was hesitant as it was rather sunny and we have a lunch appointment later.

I tried to talk him out of this sudden fitness craze, expressing my concern in alarming words like dehydrating, scorching heat, headache, cancer, amongst others. Alas, as I foreknew, all my caution fell on deaf ear.

Nevertheless, it was his eagerness which won me over. 'Ok, 15 minutes,' I said. Not that I doubted his stamina but my concern was the hot weather and knowing well Son despises glaring heat. '30 minutes,' he bargained, '15 minutes is too short an exercise.'  I relented, albeit reluctantly.

No sooner had I warmed my seat, Son returned from his brief exercise, all hot and sweaty and red faced. 'So hot', he grumbled. 'I'll go back to gym!'

It was barely 5 minutes........

Silence Of The House

There is a sense of calm serenity in the house. No commotion, no rackets, no stress, no anxieties. I only have Daughter with me as Son is out of town with friends for 3 days.

With a lone teen at home, several NOs triumphed (Daughter's opinion):

• no fighting over the bathroom,
• no name calling before, during and after breakfast,
• no teasing remarks
• no quarrelling over who's to lock up the house,
• no squabbling as to who sits in the front seat of the car, 
• no argument in the car over radio stations, etc

Tranquility reigned in the house albeit too surreal. I am left with an uneasy stillness, a hush surrounding - the silence is deafening!  

Ironic, but I already miss the hullabaloo a.k.a Son..........
           

Big Inspiration In Small Size

Son, like most teens, does encounter setbacks and failures. At his age where teen ego and self esteem take center stage, many blows prove to be catastrophic. He tends to magnify trivialities to the point that a seemingly puny problem, is to him, earth-shattering and he will be beside himself with despair and a plummeted self esteem.

I usually leave him to calm down and when he's more approachable, I'll remind him of the small man who is a HUGE motivation to many.

Watch and be inspired, then move on with life.........

Shaving Agony

This article caught my attention - 'Some boys may be uncomfortable asking to shave and others may feel awkward talking about it'.


Thank God Son embraced this coming of age change instinctively. He had been given sufficient information and adequate sharings to prepare him for this transition to adulthood naturally.


However, when Son detected a little fuzzy patch over his upper lip, he was upset, not with the facial hair but the thought of having to shave looms heavily over him. He had caught sight of his friends with razor cuts, in their maiden shaving attempt, and he was horrified. 

He tells me he is never going to shave and I told myself  that I am not going to make hair an issue and it will not be a battle I'd pick to fight with him. 

I vow to patiently let the hair issue work itself out but should he flaunts his long unkempt moustache and if my patience runs thin , I'll sneak into his room at night to do the needful, then feign innocence the next morning.........

Sugary Coffee

I was pleasantly surprised to find my cup with steaming coffee at my work table.  Son remarked, 'That's for you mom'. Hey, that indeed is a surprise! It has always been the other way round, me making drinks for my teens and rarely, they me.

Still, a blessing is a blessing, though not Starbucks material.  I took a sniff at the aromatic drink, then a huge gulp. Yucks! Instantly I spat the mouthful back into the cup. It was sickeningly sweet. I took a quick glance at Son. Am I glad he was fixated on Facebook to pay any attention to me.

Trying to sound as casual as possible, I asked, 'How did you make this coffee?' Without taking his eyes off the screen, he answered, 'I used a 3in1 coffee sachet and added 2 teaspoons sugar, nice?'

Barista, he is not........

Wiped Out American Idol

Son watched with distaste as James Durbin was booted out from American Idol Season 10.

James was the one and only participant Son rooted for and Son never doubted he'll emerge the winner. No second favourite, there's only one and that's JAMES! He was pretty sure all Americans share his sentiment.

The onset of the elimination result announcement kept Son on the edge of his seat, suspense clearly written all over his face. When the name James was finally uttered by Ryan Seacrest, Son's jaw dropped and looked stunned and the uproar that followed was cacophonic!  He then declared fiercely, 'I'm not going to follow AI anymore'.

Teenage idol dream crushed........

Coloured Son

'What is that on your pinky?' I screamed at Son, barely realising my voice had risen to an irrating high decibel.  He glanced at his finger then at me impassively and proceeded to waving his pinky in my face. 'My favourite colour, purple, nice ya.'  I was furious, he had on purple nail polish on his pinky.

Son, who is often puts off when Daughter adorns her nails with jumble of colours and never failed to belabour her for spending money on them is now making a shocking paradigm shift! Coloured nails on female, fine, on male, not bothered as long as it is not on my Son's!
 
I bore my stern eyes at his pinky. 'It's just for fun, I'll get it removed later', he said with a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

Was I overreacting................

Jumping The Gun

A friend asked if Son ever played with toy guns when he was young but before I could answer, she retorted, 'I'll never let J play with gun or get involved with war play. He'll definitely end up a violent person,' she ended with such assured confidence. 

Hmm... Come to think of it, it has never been an issue with us. Son has played with toy guns and indulged in war play and even if he doesn't have a gun at hand, he has imaginatively turned his other toys into make believe weapons.

He has never exhibited worrisome traits of violent characteristic and he's never obsessed with the weapons. Gun play was just another game which kept him entertained till he grew tired of it before moving on to another toy. 

Now as a teen, Son still plays with guns - in cyberspace. Occasionally, he enjoys the online tactical shooting game, Sudden Attack. We are always wrestling for more play time on my laptop. Ya, you read right, I too play and that is because Son threw me a dare to better his score and this gun trotting mommy aims to do just that ............

Manhandled Son

'Hi Mum', a cleary flustered Son called out as he walked into the kitchen. His hair was unusually dishelved, t-shirt wrinkly and messy and he looked a little beat-up. Son dragged himself to the dining table and plonked himself down on the chair.

He then complained aloud, 'They are a crazy bunch. They pulled my hands, tugged my shirt and were very rowdy.  I could hardly speak, they were talking nineteen to the dozen. They took me for granted, called out for help at the slightest thing!'

I tried to show sympathy, then added, 'It's ok, not everyone's like that, maybe your friends had a bad day today'.

Son stared at me, his mouth agape. 'Friends?, I'm not talking about my friends. Mr K asked me to help watch the 6-year old preschoolers today'.

Son subjugated by cuties??...........

Lee Dewyze Up Close

Son and Daughter teamed up to convince me into taking them to watch Lee Dewyze who was in town recently.  Being a public holiday and what with the horrendous experience of getting Son to Bieber's concert still fresh in my mind, I was defiant. Granted, Lee isn't as big as Bieber, still after American Idol, he's a celebrity in his own right. I shudder at the thought of  being in the midst of adrenaline charged screaming teens. Urggh!

I relented after a lame fight, sigh! They were adamant to get a good view, thus we left the house at 1.30pm; Lee's only due on stage at 4pm! Why am I getting that mild deja vu feeling again?

Being early paid off, they secured a great spot and stood rooted to it as the crowd of visibly excited, jostling teens builds up. I retreated to the nearest corner preparing myself for a long wait, just me and my book.......

Super Skinny Jeans

Son has been bugging me to buy him a pair of super skinny jeans for a long time and each time the excuse I gave was 'I'm busy, no time to go shopping'. In actuality, I despise skinny jeans on the male species. I squirm when I see them hug the legs of the wearer, contributing to an abnormal emaciate look.

Son enviously admire the skinny jeans sale on the net and magazines He has set his sights on the Levi's Skinny 511 model.  He already has an idea how he'll wear them and has mentally matched the top and footwear. And he anticipates me to surrender to his incessant plea very soon......

Bieber Frenzy!

The highway which leads to Justin Bieber concert venue was inundated with cars which I suspect carry a Bieliber or two! What should only be a 20 minute journey, took us like 1 hour 50 minutes! Cars in front of me were just inching forward at snail pace. I dread such driving, I dread the helpless feeling and I dread to think another concert is in the pipeline!

Son received calls from friends who were either leaving the house, sharing our predicament, or on site volunteering live reporting. Throngs of people were already queuing up though the concert is 3 hours away!! I detected a tinge of panic in Son's voice which upped a notch when rained started pounding on the hood of my car, overhead and blurred my windscreen. 

When we neared, we saw roads to the entrance were blocked, preventing cars through, so Son got down, oblivious to the rain and walked energetically to join the sea of random Bielibers, all with the same mission, same determination - to narrow the gap between themselves and Justin pronto........

THE Justin Bieber Day!

Today is THE DAY! THE JUSTIN BIEBER CONCERT!. Son got up extremely early, chirpy and excited. He broke out into JB's song intermittently, between brushing his teeth and breakfast. He was definitely ready to meet his teen idol.

The past few days were crazy for him and friends. Texting and calling several times a day to set up a meeting place and time. I never knew Son to be so fickle minded, minutes after finalizing the rendezvous, he reached for his phone and the entire haggling process on the same topic starts.
 
The organiser should rethink their free seating policy, I dread to even imagine the mayhem that will take place. No wonder Son and friends were strategizing their every move - from queuing right through to vantage seating plans.

I won't be surprised if some diehard fans set up camp at the venue. And I am eternally grateful that Son finds the idea preposterous!! Phew.

Final meeting time was set at 4.00pm. The concert starts at 8.30pm...........

Shopping Evolution

When Bangkok was picked as this year's short holiday destination, both my teens clapped their hands in glee and exclaimed in unison, 'shopping'.

Ya, even Son whom years ago detested shopping and was ever grateful that I shouldered this irksome task for him. Back then he couldn't care less that I picked his attire for him, he's only too happy to be let off the shopping hook.

But now as a teen, shopping takes on a new meaning. His penchant for psychedelic, bold colours alarms me. Pink colour which he avoided like a deadly plague before, he now adores. And to my horrors, he now finds feminine accessories fascinating! Urrgh!

I still go shopping with Son not that I'm a convert to his preferences but I do want to be present to stop any eccentric purchases. I have no wish to go into cardiac arrest should he lug home feather boa adorned t-shirts, candy pink shorts or fluorescent orange sneakers..........

Bottomless McDonald's

Son had an uneventful sleep last night, all because of an unsettled tummy. He was groaning and moaning followed by several loud long belches.

The 2nd culprit - McDonald's bottomless drink policy which has, inevitably, been subject to much merciless abuse by its patrons and one of them, embarassingly to mention is dear Son. He bragged that he and friends downed cups after cups willing themselves to set a  new MCD record. Splendid to have like minded friends, unfortunately this time for the wrong reason! All caution about imminent discomfort caused by overdrinking gassy beverage were conspicuously ignored.

The 1st culprit? Son's 'never say never' attitude towards refillables..........                                                                           
                                                                                                                                        

Facial Seeds

Son's agony over the millia seeds (http://boy2teen.blogspot.com/2010/10/seedy-misery.html)  intensified when he discovered more and more breaking out. He was bent on eliminating them, to the point of scraping them off with whatever available objects at hand. Of course, that only helps the seeds multiply furiously.

Seeing his exasperation, I consulted a beautician friend, Leena. She concluded that there's no other way except to remove them with needle. Son squirmed at the suggestion while fixing his gaze at Leena, willing her to offer a tamer alternative. Alas, one way, only one.

I too, agreed to have two 'faithful' moles under my eyes removed, They weren't bothering me and have never been an issue but just to encourage and show Son my support, I relented. Both removal employ similiar procedure.

Son showed much bravery during the removal process, trying his utmost not to fidget or cringe at the pain and the intimidating look of the needle. Some old, hardened ones required deeper probing. Several were around his eye sensitive areas, which attributed to much pain during the process. Tears were invariably welling up uncontrollably yet he maintained his composure, even drawing admiration from Leena.

I was the complete opposite when my turn came, just looking at the needle made my legs buckled. I even attempted to halt the process twice. Sigh.. a mom's silent sacrifice!

In the end, two recalcitrant moles and twelve millia seeds were reduced to nonexistence,  not to mention several notes too flew off my purse................                                                                                      
                                                                                    

Rebecca Black - A Rocky Debut

Son and co has again stumbled upon a new You Tube celebrity who is taking the cyberspace world by storm for both good and bad reasons. Son finds the song catchy and cannot understand the nasty brickbats hurled at her.

Even Simon Cowell, the dreaded ex-American Idol jury is enamored by this latest singing teen. Her video has, to date, garned more than 35 million viewers.

My verdict - a courageous young teen with a strong vocal daring to take on the big boys; an album in the pipeline perhaps.

Watch and decide if she deserves bouquet or more brickbats....

Teen Issues - Homey Duel

Everyday new teen issues war erupts in my house, er.. correction, in my car, in the shopping complex, in the restaurant, in the swimming pool, anywhere where my two teens present themselves. Those parenting teenagers know that I am not being overdramatic! A perennial teenage issue every parent has to tackle.


Son takes delight in badgering Daughter, teasing her relentlessly at every opportunity. Daughter, of course, will never take the onslaught lying down, she too has her own ammunition up her sleeves, ever ready for battle!

They know they are not allowed to engage in physical fights, only verbal which I usually don't interfere. I find it infuriating when they dragged me in to their duel. They tend to forget that I'm no refree armed with a whistle nor do I favour one over the other in this sibling rivalry or play mediator over triviality.

However, when the fight gets too intense, I shoo them into a room to finish off their clash, away from my earshot. Then, such peace..........
                                                                               

Judge Messy

We just cannot tolerate the dishevelled hair of Steven Tyler, judge for American Idol season 10.  Next to the ever immaculate Jennifer Lopez, Steven's messy look scores extremely low points from us.

Son directed me to this link, Steven Tyler, before American Idol.

Driving Commentary

Often times, when I am driving, Son is also driving. I drive a car, he on the other hand, drives me up the wall in my car!

Especially so when the car ahead of me slows down or when another car overtakes me, though 50m away! He generously rattled on and on his displeasures though the driver, his mom, me, isn't flustered a nary bit (err, sometimes...).

Once on a narrow road, we ended up behind a super slow car, which showed no sign of hurrying. The driver was clearly enjoying a slow cruise. As expected, Son wasted no time in volunteering his input, same time, straining his neck trying to catch a glimpse of the driver ahead.

Another minute passed, we were still at a snail's pace, overtaking was risky.  Son's commentary chalked up a decibel higher with exasperation to match. Frankly, I too have reached the end of my tether!

I sighted an opportunity to overtake, Son adjusted himself so he'll directly face the driver fully. I'm sure he has contortorted his face to show much annoyance.

As we passed the driver, we were greeted with a toothless, bashful smile and an apologetic wave. The driver's wrinkly face was one of embarrassment as she mouthed 'sorry'. From the corner of my eye, I saw Son instantly slumped back in his seat and then slowly he broke into a smile.........


Drive at your own (and family's) risks!

More To Treadmill Run

When Son managed to achieve his goal by completing a-10 km run on the treadmill, he was exhilarated. In the past there were several near misses, 8km, 9km but never 10 km as fatigue got the better of him that left him clearly exasperated.

A few years ago, Son wasn't really into running. He was contented with a 4-5 km run and doesn't see the need to strive further. I pushed him to go beyond this comfortable distance but he vehemently conceded enough is enough.  I was disappointed, I know his stamina wasn't optimized fully and he was capable of greater challenges.

Once, Son was on a treadmill next to a petite teenage girl. He towers over her. They started almost the same time. I caught Son glancing over at her display panel intermittently, checking on the distance she covered, I reckon. When the distance neared 4 km, the girl didn't show any sign of weariness and lethargy.  I could see Son toiling to maintain his pace but determination was written all over his face. I cheered him on mentally.

6 km, the girl was still keeping a steady pace but Son was clearly struggling and shortly, gave up. He shot the girl a side-glance as he alighted from the treadmill, unbelief showing in his eyes.

That was a turning point for him. Guess somebody's ego was badly bruised.....

   

Furry Fury

Daughter was tickled pink with this Zits cartoon which appeared in our dailies - http://www.arcamax.com/zits/s-838128-253722

"That's exactly what happend to bro, remember?"

Flashback

I was in the kitchen preparing lunch when a loud scream came from Son's room. He had already dashed out - shouting, screaming, pointing, gesturing, yelling. I could just make out one word - squirrel. Son was beside himself with anxiety and was clearly flustered.

Ever since a young boy, Son has never shown an affinity for small furry animals. He despised them and has willfully kept his distance. The cute, lovable, huggable youngs that make Daughter swoon with delight are to him despicable!

We were strolling through a village once, charmed by their rustic surroundings and untainted natural environment when a desperate yell broke the tranquility. I hastily turned to my children and saw Son hopping on both legs to keep away from the playful animals at his heel.  It was an amusing sight, not only at an agitated boy hopping madly but the sight of the culprits, furiously tailing Son - three cute, adorable, chicks!

I can't remember if Son ever had an adverse encounter with furry creatures which brought about such phobia. Clearly the squirrel incident confirms this aversion did not subside with the passage of time.........



A list of animal phobias
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_phobias#Animal_phobias

Texting Trouble

Son has agreed, albeit unwillingly, to stretch his cellphone credit allowance to two months before the next reloading. The allocation, in my opinion, is more than sufficient for NECESSARY calls. On this issue, Son begs to differ.

He is stingy on his credit, determining to save them for social communication with friends, never mind that they just parted company or barely minutes lapsed after logging out from social networks.  Whilst away, his essential calls to me are intentional missed calls, ringing just enough to alert me to call him back!

At one stage, his cellphone takes centre stage at the dining table with him texting and eating simultaneously.  I tolerated this nonsense at the beginning as he texted sporadically.  

However, my patience was truly tested when he quit using a fork, choosing to free a hand to operate his cellphone. I gave him an ultimatum, to partake in proper family meals without his 'sidekick' or continue texting with only bread and water for food. Son laughed off my threat as a joke, knowing well I place high importance on balanced meals. However, his laughter died down instantly when he glanced at my outraged face. He quickly put away his phone, dashed into the kitchen and returned with a fork in his hand.

His 'sidekick?' Banished forever from the table........

       

#%$? Blockbuster Songs

What's with songs these days, they have to be about sex, drugs, violence and vulgarity! Is this one contributing factors why children are maturing too fast and losing their pureness early? Their time to be just kids is very much shortened.

Son enjoys music and do keep up with the latest hits. Unbeknownst to Son, I too seek out latest blockbuster songs just to keep abreast with the latest music genre teens tuned in to. Some songs I approve but there are others, though with catchy beat and are highly sought-after, contain raunchy lyrics which I can't justify Son listening to them.

However, not wanting to be considered a fuddy-duddy for rejecting seemingly popular songs, I secretly paraphrased the lyrics by replacing offensive words with vile and despicable equivalent. Satisfied with the doctored songs, with no trace of the original, I showed them to Son. His contorted facial appearance revealed aplenty - abhorrence and bewilderment rolled into one.

When the original lyrics were unveiled, his jaws dropped. But he recovered just as fast to launch a vehement protest against the underhand tactic I employed. No tricks I told him, just reworded lyrics.....


                                             

Ronaldo Wannabe

Son is a hard-core Manchester United supporter and at one stage, he was totally devoted to Cristiano Ronaldo. He hungrily soaked up everything in the news about Ronaldo and rarely failed to watch MU in action. At that time, he was totally immersed in football and was forever trying out Ronaldo's fancy footwork on the pitch. Number 7 became Son's sensational hot favourite.

Seeing his fondness, I succumbed to a quirky idea of mine - Ronaldo scrapbook. Meaning to surprise him, I stayed up late several nights to cut out pictures of Ronaldo that I could find in the newspaper sports pages. Not a difficult task securing his pictures as he was clearly the most talked about footballer then and photos of him donning MU jerseys inundated football sections.

Over time, I amassed a thick compilation. I visualised Son's bemused look when I hand him the pile and anticipated an atmosphere of euphoric excitement.

He was bemused indeed, stumped for words when I handed his excellency to Son. Clearly he was over the moon as he skimmed through the pile, his eyes grew larger with every view. I patted myself in glee.

When he finished with the last picture, he looked up, then dropped a bombshell. "Ronaldo is leaving MU........


 

Voiceless

Overindulgence in Chinese New Year delicacies and titbits has left Son with a sore, scratchy throat and a cough. It doesn't help that he had fiery Indian curry rice for 3 consecutive meals. Yup, Indian food in the midst of a Chinese celebration! Moreover, with much merriment and festivity atmosphere, he lax in ensuring sufficient water consumption. Not that I didn't caution him.



His usually loud voice in the house has been reduced to whispers. To hear him audibly, I have to stand on tippy toes to position my ear close to his mouth. Daughter, on the other hand, welcomes this respite from Son's constant playful vexation. Instead, she turned the tables on him with relentless annoyance knowing well retaliation is naught from a voiceless brother.

Son endeavors to make amend his folly, he now lugs a 2L water bottle everywhere he goes....



                                                                                                                                                         

Loving Head Start

This advert touched us in different ways. 

Curious to know how Son thinks, I casually remarked, 'Now is the time for the children to look after their parents.' Son's eyes were glued to the screen till the end of the advert. Very slowly he turned to me; I anticipated a touching moment between mother and Son, I expected words of assurance that he will be there for me always......

Instead, he cheekily remarked, 'Don't worry Mom, you won't be left behind, I'll give you a head start.....' 

    

Chinese New Year

 

 

2011, the year of the rabbit, according to the Chinese calendar. Time for feasting, merriment and gatherings of family members and friends. Children never failed to be thrilled at receiving 'ang pow' (red packets) containing money.

Gong Xi, Gong Xi! Happy Chinese New Year!

Lost Battle

Not a good day today for Son. It has been a day fraught with tense moments especially at late afternoon. In the morning he was still his chirpy self when we set out for his tournament and was on top of the world when he won 3 consecutive games. No easy feat, considering the amount of analytical skills and deep concentration required to secure this early victory.

However, the blow came after lunch. Having lost a game, followed by a draw, Son was mentally challenged to wrap up the final round aiming to end it on a high note. However, in his haste, he made a big blunder which gave his opponent an extra edge. A costly mistake which deprived him a favourable position in the top 10.

Son's usual wisecracking persona took a change. He was thoroughly dejected and low in spirit. Nothing I can do save for encouraging him to train harder and soldier on in this board battle game.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Monosyllabic Teen

Son seems to have lost a vast portion of his vocabulary as most time he's capable of only uttering monosyllabic words - 'uummm, oh, hmmph, err, hah, k.....' No difference if words that emerged from my mouth flowed in the hundreds and thousands, still it will only elicit a singular response from Son. 

I know teen experts say it's perfectly normal for teens going through puberty to act such, as their hormones are creating havoc inside them. We parents, the virtuous beings, are advised to practise patience..... Definitely easier said than done! Whenever I want to engage Son in a conversation, only to discover it going one way after several attempts, I very much want to throw all the seemingly professional advice back in their faces! (Yeah! that feels good...........).

However, I am learning to keep my conversation concise, though dying to let on so much more. I let Son lead in conversation, attempting to flow with his topics and endeavor to lend my ears more.

Soon enough, there's no stopping him when he's on subjects close to his heart though nowhere near mine....!      

 

Advertisement Clash

           

This advertisement never fails to rile up an argument between Son and Daughter. Daughter is of the opinion the girl stooped so low to get the boy's attention. She finds it repulsive. 'It's kinda of cool', Son quipped. 'I want to try it out, see if girls really go gaga or not'. Daughter retorted, 'Yah, and then follow you like little lamb!'. Son's impish look turned pale and his eyes widened in shock. 'Yucks!' was all that escaped his mouth.                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Badminton Mania

Son is incensed because the much anticipated showdown between Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei (LCW) in the Proton Malaysia Open Badminton Super Series 2011 did not materialise. This is because of Lin Dan's eleventh hour pull out due to an injury.

Son has been a LCW supporter for a long time and has once snuck into his training session just to catch a glimpse of him. Alas, unfortunately, LCW had completed his court training and was already at the gym.

Son was at the Thomas Cup 2010 to watch the duel between Lin Dan and LCW. However, Son was totally crushed as Lin Dan showed much prowess in his game and LCW was reduced to a mere novice, struggling with every shot.

In this Proton Open, he wasn't very interested to watch LCW play against Taufik Hidayat. Not that his support for LCW waned but he envisaged it an unchallenging game. 'Sure Chong Wei will win, no fight man!' he announced confidently and he was not disappointed as LCW wrapped up the game in less than 40 minutes. Such is Son's sureness of LCW.                                                    
                                                

Bitter Bieber Barter

Son has been begging and pleading relentlessly to attend Justin Bieber's concert. "Mom, tell me what you want me to do, anything!" Boy, he's very determined! Do I want to indulge Son, pay for him to watch with his friends this hair-flipping, flicking young singer on stage?

I gave in................ 

Yup, its the original ticket, Son's one week lunch $ translated into this. Even after holding the ticket in my hand, I questioned my decision. Then again, I consoled myself, JB isn't coming every year and Son isn't forever a teen with crazy obsession.

Of course Son isn't going to the concert for free, it comes with a price and he has to learn to earn his keep. However, since no one has answered the plea to sponsor him nor has anyone needed a handyman service, I have resorted to an archaic swapping arrangement :

1 month laundry service = 1 JB's concert ticket

Although with much reluctance, he had agreed to handle the family laundry for a month! Daughter is ecstatic as she and Son have always shared the chore of  folding and putting away laundered clothes. Easy peasy if you ask me, Son got off easy as the washing machine handles the bulk of  the work, no coolie job.

                  
A legitimate barter trading, a win win situation for all, after all, the ticket is in my hand! Snickers.......                                                                                                                                                                                 
            

Sticking Out

Though Son has a proper walking cane at his disposal, he adamantly refuses to use it citing he is not of age yet...... He handles the makeshift stick with much aplomb and is able to move about effortlessly with its help. 

However, this pseudo walking stick proves to be a great annoyance, particularly to Daughter. Son enjoys exasperating her by tapping her with it and unashamedly uses it to intimidate her into doing his bidding. Daughter, of course, never concede defeat without a good fight thus, she too brandishes her self-made weapons, ie. broom, umbrella. Groan, and they say only little children fight. I can barely hear myself think over the noise! They can give the cast of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon a run for their money!

                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                               

The crude makeshift walking stick                                                                                                             

I inserted a table rubber cap to one end to provide good grip on the floor.

To Son, this stick exudes an air of superiority and machoism. This stick he calls THE KUNG-FU STICK! Look out Jackie Chan.......

Raw Talent

Son and  friends like to scour YouTube for unknown yet talented performers. I must say some of their  discoveries do have a lot of really raw talent and drive to succeed. All they need is the right person to discover them, market them to the world and the rest will be earth-shattering history! See where this opportunity landed Charice and Justin Bieber .

Son is very impressed with Sam Tsui, a Chinese American who rose to fame on YouTube in a very short time. He is currently an undergraduate at Yale University. His most talked about video is his rendition of  the Michael Jackson medley which garnered more than twenty million views!

                              

Tall Order

A regular in our badminton group sprained her recently healed ankle. She had just returned to the game after a 3-month hiatus. Very unfortunate for her; I ache for her as this sprain will again immobilize her for a few months.

Never in my wildest dream could I have imagined that such incapacitation will befall Son and coincidentally, due to badminton game too, though played with a different group. From the x-ray result, the doctor confirmed it a not-to-worrisome sprain. Thank God! He now wears an ankle guard and hobbles around on the good right foot with the aid of a makeshift walking stick.

Not wanting him to move unnecessarily, I restrict his mobility and instructed him to call for help for anything he wants, anytime. I live to regret it! For once in his 15 years on earth, my instruction was followed to a T! 'Mom, please get me a drink with ice'  'Mom, pass me my books please', 'Mom this, Mom that....... ' It was easier looking after him as a baby when summons were few! I fervently wish for him to get well instantly. Though my beloved, I have no wish to be relegated to a life of servitude to this now 6-footer! Horrors! this is only day one!

                                                                                  

                     THE foot                      

                                                             
I personally believe that one of the contributing factors to injuries is due to lack of warming up before a game. For basic warm up techniques, check out badminton warm ups.                                                                         
                                                                               
                                                                 

Sleek Movement

'I want to train for parkour', Son said determinedly. ??? registered on my face. Parkour? He proceeded to show me this video.                                                                                            

       

I was flabbergasted - they exuded such fluidity and accuracy in their movement. I have no doubt the amount of training they put in for those polished moves. Good discipline, resonates with my principle.

'I'm going for that', then he mischievously added, 'might break a bone or two'. Well, if Son intended to frighten me to the core or think I will try to dissuade him, bah, he's in for a shock. 'Great, go for it, train your arm muscles first, hit the gym daily'. His jaw dropped. Backfired.....    
                                
Read here for more information on parkour.

J Bieber 2 KL

'Yeah', Son hollered, jumped up and pumped his fist in the air, while clutching the newspaper in another hand. 'He's coming to KL, yeah!', he again exclaimed, his voice barely able to contain his excitement. What, who, where, when - all these thoughts were swirling in my head. 'Justin Bieber, Mom, he'll be in KL in April, I want to go Mom, pleazzzzzeeeee.........

If I thought Son's obsession (read here) with this Bieber boy has died down as a result of his new hairdo, I am in for a huge surprise! (more about Son's new hairdo in another post.). Son is still very much a loyal Belieber.  Oh, oh, KL will be inundated with Bieber mania and soon 'Baby, baby' will fill the airwaves 24/7.  This article came to mind and I seriously doubt his debut concert here will be void of  similar scenario.

Son has made up his mind to catch his idol in person come what may. Hah! What a joke! Son has forgotten someone has to cough up the dough for this wishful tete-a-tete encounter; the cheapest ticket equates one week lunch expense!

Any kind soul willing to sponsor a die hard Bieber fan or looking for odd job worker - a young, strong, will do-anything-for JB boy?
 

                                                                                                

Warrior Thoughts

I caught Son standing in front of the mirror with his shirt pulled up, staring intently at his midriff. He changed position several times, akin to posing for the camera and continued with his scrutiny from different angles. His eyes never left his midriff reflection and was totally fixated, very much oblivious to my presence. His posing and checking went on for a while until Daughter's hysterical laughter broke his concentration. She had walked in unannounced and the sight of Son left her in stitches. Red faced, Son hurriedly pulled down his shirt, glared at sister then sprinted to his room.

Just after lunch, I caught Son in deep concentration again. This time his head was buried in the newspaper and was totally engrossed in an article. He then moved to the computer table and with a few cursory clicks, his attention was on the screen. My curiosity was piqued so I picked up the opened newspaper-
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2011/1/8/lifeliving/7742448&sec=lifeliving. Wow! I too am totally sold! Perhaps there's a special discount for mother and son program?   

Cartoon Son

I always enjoy Zits cartoon and it is the one thing I always look forward to it in my morning paper. Somehow I see Son in Jeremy, although not 100% but close very close! Both their movement, attitude, mannerism, gait are so similar that it's almost mirror image. Horrors!

Haven't seen Zits before? Don't miss out http://www.arcamax.com/zits. Enjoy, you might just catch several glimpses of my son........

Bye Twenty Ten

The passing of year 2010 was indeed faster than a speeding bullet; in a twinkle of an eye it's gone. Yet I yearn to be back in 2010, if possible at the onset. There are many unfulfilled tasks, incomplete projects, dissatisfied plans and I can go on and on. In a nutshell, my 2010 resolution has just stepped forward to year 2011 as recycled resolution.

However, I will not dwell in self pity and regrets but will face 2011 with great tenacity. One of my 2011 resolution is to understand my Son better, to let my ear work more and my mouth rest. Tall order, tall order.........

I know one of Son's 2011 resolutions - to get the latest Touchscreen computer for games. I'll withhold my opinion, period.