Hola Amor

Hola amor ( Eric B in a song )

Hola, you said, when you first walked in
Into the room and into my life
Your being created a whirlwind
Within my personal space

I tried hard to convince myself
You were just another student
If anything should happen in the next few days
You have to be just a fling along my way

The rain came down on our first date
Made us cuddle closer together
In the middle of the cool November night
I couldn’t prevent our first kiss

Quiero perderme en tu cuerpo
No puedo esperar para estar contigo
Cuando no estamos juntos
Te buscaria en mis suenos

With you all my physical laws broke down
My long held beliefs tumbled to the ground
I gave in to them and not ask why
Because I didn’t want to say goodbye

When my emotions got stronger
I questioned my thoughts
I did not know which was better
Follow my heart or was it mind over matter

Hola amor, you and I together
I hope it will be forever
You make me happy, you make me smile
You make me behave like a grown up child

You said I make you happy,
You said I make you smile
I want to be there when you are weepy,
Be with you all the while

We have similar habits, so much in common
And we live in different continents, so far apart
But remember that rainbow bridge
At both ends lie our waiting hearts

So many things you said made sense to me
‘We will manage’ you whispered softly
Distance is a test to see how far love can travel
I held on to those words, verily

Chorus
I’m in love, oh I’m in love
With amazing, wonderful you
Always busy always in a hurry
You’ll find time just to hear me

Chorus
The days were horny, the nights were steamy
I can’t wait to touch you and to hold you
When we are together, there will be a tsunami
Ooh now I can’t help being tacky.

The words don’t rhyme much in this poem
I can’t dictate them in the right way
I guess with all the love in my heart
Emotions have no words to convey

 

You and I

You're the best man I have ever met
The truth is, happily together we will fare
Full of laughter, your handsome face is set
Everything with you, I'll gladly share

I love it that you are caring and kind
I love it that you wouldn't care for less
I love it that you have a truly inexhaustible mind
In everything, you try your best

My feelings for you will always be the same
The same words I've said from the first time to the last
Seemed like yesterday that I believed "Je t'aime"
A steadfast belief till many tomorrows that will come to pass

I noticed quite a few things from you
Cleaning the kitchen top, you're quick on your feet
Nurturing a herb garden, you discern the water drops from the dew
Perhaps one day your garden and I could meet

Sometimes your logic astounds me dramatically
But only because your certainty comes with experience
Experiences that are diverse from mine intrinsically
The same of which I would gladly give credence

Ik zie u graag with all my heart
In here it's like chocolate fudge
It melts when we're together or apart
I must admit I'm addicted to the Eric touch

Te echo de menos when you're not around
People say love is not supposed to make sense
But my logic increased by many leaps and a bound
Loving you is so right, that is my defense

Although we live an ocean apart
Everyday you are in my heart
It's up to us to make it real
I hope that is also how you feel

You and I, we love to kiss
You and I, we share many of the same thoughts
You and I, oh, baby,  such bliss
You and I, we make each other so hot

The differences that we gather from each other
Will only serve the great purpose that I see
Of keeping us closer as we continue to discover
How much more the both of us can be

When a marriage falls apart ( Written in Nov 2005 )

Almost 4 decades into my life
Today it happened, finally
We were seated quite uncomfortably
At my lawyer's office at Boat Quay
To sign the divorce papers officially

For months I thought I was prepared
To see how I would've fared
But I wasn't counting on the feelings we've shared
To resurface and danced around in my head

What really happens
When a marriage ends?
I guess it all depends
On what we had to defend

When two people's lives break down
The sacred union can no longer be bound
It's a shame if the reason is found
To be a third party whose mind is not sound

The relationship game is not all black and white
It takes maturity and a lot of trust to fight
To search within the heart and mind
For what's right

3 years was a long time to hide
To suffer the incongruity I felt deep inside
It was tiring to keep my spirits on the upside
Just so everyone knew things were alright

Why must it be this way
Till today he has nothing to say
I was hoping to come away
With some closure so I can continue to play

No matter what no matter how
Life has to go on now
Hope keeps me moving somehow
till love is found again, I shall vow

I was sad but won't ever be sorry
When it's lonely, just work on the psyche
It's not easy, I know it's not easy
It's up to me to decide to be happy

I've forgiven him and her
Me, myself, I have come to cheer
At last my freedom is here
And a used husband was what I've given her. :)

Written in 2005

You Too, Shall Pass, CoVid-19

You came without warning

You devastated our lives

We could do nothing

Many perished without goodbyes

There were days where the world stood still

Thousands felt helpless, lost and nowhere to go

Each country doing their best to cure the ill

So far the recovery has been slow

But we will fight you, we will prevail

We are many, you are but one

We will do all we can to end your toxic trail

We will not stop until we are done

Singapore is a small but strong nation

With the many qualities we hold dear 

Together we will to stop this proliferation

You can be sure your eradication is near

Chorus

CoVid-19 your days are numbered

Everyday your aggressive disposition was featured

CoVid-19 your strength will be diminished

Everyday we gain insights to your grand finish

Social distancing is one measure

That we practised on a daily basis

The mask we wear serves as a reminder 

We won’t let you come near our faces

Government aided funds mitigated problems in economy

Frontliners sacrificed their time and energy 

Volunteers helping out the communities

Donations from philanthropists are aplenty

We have turned this adversity into an advantage

We saw this as a good time for growth no matter the age

Working from home allowed for bonding time

The lockdown made it easier to study online

A vaccine to end this most infamous virus

Is what all scientists are scrambling to find

We, as a people will stand and work together

To turn individual strand into ties that bind

We stand with all countries in solidarity

The strength we’ve amassed is manifold

To reach a common goal, together in unity

In the end, resilience is what we will behold

SDEA member spotlight

Today I was happy to see the interview that I gave to the Singapore Drama Educators Association online.
Access it on the SDEA website on the month of May highlights and also on SDEA Facebook page.

I've been doing this for so many years
I just didn't think about how far I've come
For I, me, myself I cheer
There's a tune in my head, I hum

It's truly a blessing
Along the arrow of time I can see
The ebb and flow of my living
Imagined through time lapse photography

I give thanks for everything
Inside and outside of these walls
To the big and small, inanimate or living things
I respect you all

This article was one of many of me
Over the years of sweat and toil
Experience was a good teacher, definitely
Throughout my great odyssey

Hasta luego,  we'll part here for now
My stomach's calling out loud
It's going to be a big meal somehow
The food is waiting to be devoured

https://www.sdea.org.sg/journal/sdea-spotlight-cathy-kee/

I want to stay

Am I counting the days
I hope not, I like it here
There must be jobs here anyway
I must not, I must not have fear.

I can so live in Barcelona
The city's great, the people seemed relaxed
And I can't help but wonder
How to discern the simple from the complex

Sometimes you never know who's local, who's not
Blending in comes naturally but speaking, much less
This stirring in me, I must give it a shot
Look for a job and give it my best

I'm lying on my wakeboard of tomorrow
Ready to sail out yonder
I will ride with it like a willow
The winds taking me out farther

The pasture is greener, the sea bluer
The rains howling the winds beckoning
It's the perception I have made to order
A reality that is more becoming

Really, now, it's easy to imagine
A variety of opportunities out there
Without hesitation, crank up the engine
Don't be a chicken, be a thoroughbred mare

Creativity in all of us

I had a feeling we were going to do lots of drawing
This workshop would surely bring out the child in us
I was right as on the floor we were either laying or sprawling
While others were sitting, no one was making a fuss.

Nothing was done quite the normal way
Introduction was brief and so was getting to know each other
To do that we must have a drink in a cafe
Then two by two we took the hot seat describing our partner

I indulged happily with the visual journeys
They were akin to my constant day dreamings
As long as I can separate the honey and the bees
Into reality those dreamings can take wings

The human brain is one of the greatest things on earth
Memories we have accummulated can invoke creativity
Whether they be mundane, of loss, sadness or of mirth
Use them freely to the point of the antiquated defence of insanity

My automatic writings didn't make sense, they wouldn't
But in the chaotic and meaningless written jabber
I glimpsed snippets of my current predicament
That could surely lead to an enlightened future

There was something magical about sharing the exercises
The same that led the randomly chosen partners to me
It was as if we needed to 'steal' meaningful phrases
To link the fragmented moments, if at all, briefly

My monster gave me a wonderful phrase
The words emerged while I was drawing its wings
I gave it permission to go where my being wouldn't face
"Don't be just a potential, be potent" everyday it sings.

The things I do and those that I don't are perhaps
Cryptic messages from my heart and mind
And my inner creative soul can bridge those gaps
Into the kind of ties that bind

Imagination, it fuels the mind
It affects the heart
It compels the body
To take part

Creativity,
It's imagination in the raw
Deep within the cerebrum it gnaws
Pictures and images come to the fore
Let it loose, let it grow, emerging through the pores

It takes minutes for thinking, seconds for imagining
I..... Wait, I can feel something ballooning
Those words are thunder while images are lighting
Oh.. Here I am, again, day dreaming, creating.

Belgium in 4 days

Belgium is not a country where people talked about visiting. At least not in my circle of friends. When people say let's go to Europe, they will be thinking about the UK, Barcelona, Paris, Italy, Switzerland but not a mention of Belgium. And yet it is the de facto capital of Europe. So I was thrilled to have a chance to visit this tiny country this August. I loved it. Beautiful and clean. Nice, helpful people too.
The first city I visited was Ghent and I loved the buildings. The architectural designs were those that I cannot find in other European cities. Small and quaint, I can still remember the smell and yummylicious all-you-can-eat ribs in the restaurant near the square.
Brussels was interesting. There I was, finally in front of the world famous Manneken Pis - the emblem of the rebellious spirit of the city of Brussels. I had only seen it in pictures and didn't realise that it was so small. Less than 20 inches I believe. But hidden at the end of one of the narrow streets was a lesser known figure. Jeanneke Pis, the female counterpart of the centuries old symbol, was created in 1985 to better amuse strollers. Located on Fidelity Alley near the Manneken Pis.

On the third day we went sailing and it was wonderful. Was years ago when I got on a boat. We didn't sail too far though. Had no time. Bruges was another beautiful city I went next. It was beautiful. Did I say beautiful? Small, cobblestones streets laid on the ground and famous Belgian chocolate shops abound. It looked like a town in a fairy tale.
The last day we spent in Antwerp. Another big city filled with historic buildings, cafes, nice people. I cannot decide which I liked better - Antwerp or Brussels but I suspect I will pick Antwerp if I had a chance to spend more time in both cities.
One place I didn't get to go was the Atomium. By the time we arrived it was closed. Oh well, next time for sure.
Generally, a large part of Belgium was just like the rest of Western Europe but I could feel its old world charm and this mixed with all things modern set Belgium apart from the rest of the continent.

Barcelona in a month

I was in Barcelona for a month                        
Studying, visiting and having fun
I know the city quite well by now
Only the suburbs will raise my eyebrow

Paellas, tapas y bocadillas  por todas partes
Me impregne en la cultura y las artes
Aunque vi una huelga que se ha formado
En Las Ramblas, es un lugar hermoso

Barcelona tiene muchos lugares interesantes
He visitado casi todos 
Fui en trenes, en autobuses y a pie
Tengo que decir Barcelona tiene gente amable

Pase unas horas en Girona
Que esta mas de una hora de Barcelona
No lo suficiente para un sitio
Tan hermosa como su vecina 

Fue increible, La Sagrada Familia
Tanto en el diseno y la architectura
Lo mismo con la Casa Battlo
La Pedrera, el Parque Guell y eso no es todo

Un dia, por la playa estaba pasando
Vi a un hombre acostado desnudo
Caray! Hace frio en el otono
El debe estar loco

Montserrat es una montana hermosa
Es una monasterio significado religioso de mucha importancia
Me encanta haber estado alli
Quiza voy a volver algún dia, alli

La formation de las rocas de la cresta de la montana
Era mas inusual, de gran belleza
Me senti tan orgullosa y al mismo tiempo
Tan pequena, la naturaleza, es la mejor

Montjuic es una montana que esta en la ciudad
No es tan alta como Montserrat
Pero tiene una hermosa vista, sin embargo
De la ciudad y su alrededor

En Barcelona, me enamore
Solo pasamos juntos tres dias
Mi corazon tiene un ritmo solo para el
No puedo esperar a verle, bloqueada en un abrazo, con el.
Te amo, mi amor.

The Price of Intolerance

I love eating, it's good for the soul and the body
I eat when I'm hungry, drink when I'm thirsty
It's  fundamental to social gatherings
It's a good lead in to merry making

The search for food includes
when we are in hot pursuit
of all things business or pleasure
And desserts for good measure

The other day I felt a little sick in the gut
After consuming dinner in my cozy hut
It was the usual fare that I ate everyday
With fresh ingredients and dessert by the way

All kinds of whys popped into my thinking
Then I realized it could be what I had been eating
I had been a habitual eater of certain foods
Cos they were easy to cook and they tasted good

Not eating mushrooms would allay my discomfort
Don't eat grapes, to myself I need to assert
My stomach heaved a sigh of relief and contentment
I'm giving it a break from food intolerance

I'm not sure how long  I should stay away
Mushrooms and grapes were a mainstay
I think two months would be a good start
Before they get back on my supermarket cart

For now I'll have to vary my food consumption
Perhaps button mushrooms and green grapes for locomotion
At this moment I felt my stomach yelled at me
"I'll make you pay if you don't let me be."  :)

Ugly habits of Singaporeans 2

Today I went to watch the Adventures of Tintin

He was one of my favorite comic characters
Every single title that's in my collection bin

Had been read and re-read over the years

I didn't mind the munching and slurping noise

The boys next to me were  making

One even asked his friends in a loud voice

If they wanted more snacks cos he was buying 

I enjoyed the movie thoroughly
I was happy and relaxed, I must confess

When the lights came on eventually

Oh my, rubbish on the isles, what a mess

Paper bags, empty containers, unfinished food

Bottled water, soda cans were everywhere

Why are Singaporeans such an ugly brood

Well, not all of them, to be fair

Should schools here incorporate a social behavior class

Just so the young can learn and to be inculcated

What the value of common courtesy can amass

Then, perhaps a gracious society can be cultivated

I left the cinema feeling quite disgusted

Under their breath the cleaners mouthing off expletives

I don't blame them but had to make haste when I heard

The Hokkien and Malay swear words I found so offensive

What makes a good couple?

My rules for what makes a good couple. Not in any particular order.
1. Chemistry - It's all about PH balance
2. The ability to learn to give and take
3. Don't talk about the past unless absolutely necessary
4. Communicate - not just talk but listen well
5. Trust
6. Respect
7. Consideration

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011

Wow, what can I say
I was there all over the place
Edinburgh Fringe everyday
Hundreds of performers in front of my face

Livingston

Our show was well received
Reviews declared it a 'must see'
I don't care much for that as I only perceived
The audience's delight : that was enough guarantee


For many, the Fringe was a good platform
Performers of every kind converged in one city
Some professionals, many amateurs but all conformed
To the highest standard, as best as they can be


No one was a diva, everyone paid their dues
Directors, writers, choreographers, actors, comedians, singers
All did their part to promote their shows and to be in the news
All took turns to give out flyers

The Royal Mile

The Royal Mile was a great place to start any adventure
from the Edinburgh Castle one should wander
Shops, buskers, cafes were a common feature
And you'll wrestle for a walking spot with thousands of people


The highlands, Glencoe and Loch Ness was the only tour
we took on Sunday when we had no show
T'was breathtaking- the rolling hills and the valleys, for sure
made the journey awesome although Nessie was a no show :)

Princes Street

Highlands/Glencoe/LochNess tour

I loved the weather despite the lack of sunshine
12 degrees was the average temperature
Worked till noon everyday then exercised my legs and behind
I roamed the streets looking for nothing in particular


For me, the food wasn't really the usual fare
Not used to the oily fish and soggy fries
Meat sandwiches, meat pies were more than I can bear
Chinese, Japanese and Indian eateries were my only highs


Having said that, the booze were plenty and cheap
Scottish whiskies cost a little less than bottled water
Got my first one at the Library bar some 2 stories deep
Then Simon came along and my highs were free forever


Forever was a short 30 days at the Fringe Festival
I was happy to have covered many places of interest
The Botanic Gardens, the Zoo and Deep Sea World
And finally I climbed Arthur's Seat at 250 metres

Urquhart Castle

Atop Arthur's Seat

Such a fantastic time I have had in Edinburgh
Every year the quiet city was turned completely around
To allow creativity and imaginations to unfurl
All are welcomed and all kinds of shows can be found.

Turkish Fright

I've had, for several months, a Turkish delight
Last night, I received a call with fright
The girlfriend called asking me to stop
Fucking her man round the clock

Should I know the hell about your man?
Well, he's tall, Turkish and not so tan
How rude of her to yell stop, I thought
I don't give a damn, that was my retort

Moments later, that bitch of a girlfriend calmed down
When I was about to hang up, she sensed my frown
Quietly she told me she loved the man 
And asked me to leave him alone if I can

Take him any way you want, I said
I'll have no lying scumbag in my bed
She knows of his philandering ways she confessed
Then ditch the bloody idiot, I professed

I was stunned, I was shocked, I didn't know
My fuck budd had a woman on hold
I asked at the beginning if he was seeing anyone
Negative, said he, so we started having fun

Often, a night cap at my place he'll be
Slowly he had developed feelings for me
Surely I knew that was a fact
Because of the food he would pack

Now at last his secret's out
I stopped talking to the bastard, gave him the boot
His text messages fell on deaf ears
I have no remorse I have no fears
It wasn't my fault my conscience was clear

( written in 2005 )

The small red dot

Singapore is a great place to be

No matter how small we are

There are always things to see

You'll know this if you have travelled far

Complaints about the country will never go away

No doubt they stemmed from dissatisfaction of every kind

But if one allows some gratitude to parlay

This can be endemic, creating ties that bind

No government in the world can compromise

To please every single member of its society

They do the best they can, I surmise

For people have characters of a great variety

But I do know one thing from observation

Of the 70 cities around the world I had been to

Singapore is definitely one of the top 5 nations

That offers security, comfort, health and education too

War-faring countries are starting revolutions

Some countries are trying to rewrite weapons' laws

Yet others succumbing to natural disasters

Poverty and civil wars adding to the horror and gore

Look around this little 'Kingdom'

We live without fear of our lives

So don't take for granted this freedom

That precedes everything for which we strive

I don't claim to disrespect anyone

Nor persuade others' opinions my way

In fact, it was a casual rebuttal

To too many complaints I heard a stone's throw away

So people, don't complain too much, don't make a fuss

We are lucky to be living here in Singapore

The government is doing its best, just trust

Things aren't as good elsewhere once you walk out that door.

Zombies in the morning

Morning rush hours on the trains are a sight for sore eyes

Whenever I commuted by trains I always found amusement

The myriad of expressions on the people would suffice

For me, that's reality TV, that's pure entertainment

Zombies in the morning

Oblivious  to the surrounding

Zombies in the morning

Neither seeing nor hearing anything

Some were sleeping with a big gap in the face

Their totally relaxed bodies spread out both sides

Then one let out a snore that jerked him up in a haste

Awakening yet another who was prepared to fight

Sleep was calling in on someone standing

Eyes closed, he was nodding gently, then lo and behold

His leg muscles couldn't carry his weight, his grip was loosening

I knew he had it coming when he knocked his head on the grab pole

A woman answered a call about five feet away

What a pong,  bad breath rushed past me with such might

The sea of heads was not enough of a deterrent, damn suay

And I thought nothing could travel faster than light

In such an enclosed area such as on the train

Body odor can be quite an epidemic I tell you

The bacteria permeated the air and cannot be constrained

ooh, help I am starting to have a migraine

By now I can't breathe, I can't move and oh, the pain

All these zomboids attacking my senses

I hope there won't be any delays of the train

Or I'll have to scream and suffer in silence

What did those zombies do the night before

Drinking, getting wasted or partying like there's no tomorrow

People often say live like there's no tomorrow

Well, I say live like there IS A TOMORROW.

I wondered if those zombies ever felt frazzled

Before the day began, they were already sleeping

But train journeys are still the fastest, despite the hazards

Just have to brave those zombies in the morning.