De one with "Kum Hu"

Incense fill the air

I didn't waste the entire day. Brought work home. Went jogging. 5km. Covered both bishan parks in the late afternoon around 4pm.

Evening mama brought us to "Dua Lang Kong" ("大人宫" in Hokkien). It wasn't really the real name of the temple around my neighbourhood. Well, that's what it was addressed as since we were young. Anyway, it was a yearly affair for us to have our tailsman re-stamped with the God's seal. I know it sounds superstitious. But hey, it's the elder's advice for the purpose of keeping us safe. Like how Christians wear crosses, thai monk's fellowers wearing Buddha charms.

Prior the commencement of the "kum hu", there was this "crossing the bridge" ceremony. According to batches sort by zodiac signs, people of the same zodiac would have their chance, lined up in order to cross the bridge. By doing so, one would be blissed with safety.. good luck charm kinda thingy. I participated for the fun of it. The not-fun part is you would be stamped with this red dyed stamp on the back of your shirt. Luckily, I told the uncle I didn't want any. Thank goodness.

There was Hokkien wayang opera on.. I took a photo! Looks like the lighting was too bright.. but the stage's still visible... This was part of my culture. Remember when I was a child, I love watching wayang. Apart from being able to stay up late, I was fascinated with the glittering costumes, the music, backdrop and the atmosphere. Not that I don't really like it now nor influenced by the getai emergence, my sendiments for chinese wayang still remains, just that we hardly have the time to sit down, feed the mosquitoes and watch without my granny.

Every year, my heart would beat double time becoz you'll never know what the Gods would say about me. There was once this god raised the example of "Tai Gong Diao Yu" (it was about this old man, supposedly a celestial figure who fished with a bamboo pole, no bait whatsoever. Only willing fishes would get hooked). Obviously explains why the next line which follows is "Yuan Zhe Shang Gou". Anyway, the god was teaching me that i'd never learn if I'm not willing to ask.

This year, this particular god adviced me to exercise more conscientious in whatever I do. Which turns out to be quite accurate. I've been approaching a couple of things with an easy-going attitude. My mind's unfocused. Partly because my heart's uncontented with anything but one thing. I was a slave to my emotions and trying to get over something which was nothing. Which kinda disrupted my life. Inevitably, it had indirectly caused me to lose concentration.

Well, I must say, this is no "self fulfilling prophecy" here! It was a direct nail in the head. Looks like I have to put up my socks now.