The Vow.

I have just finished watching The Vow, a movie based on the actual relationship of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, who wrote a book about their marriage, also known as The Vow. Ten weeks  after their wedding on 18 September 1993, the couple was in an automobile accident in which Krickitt suffered brain trauma, which erased memories of her romance with Kim as well as their marriage. Kim is still deeply in love with his wife, although she views him as a stranger after the accident.

In the movie, Leo tried means and ways to help his wife, Paige, to regain her memory after the accident. Paige however, could not recall anything about Leo and their relationship. Eventually Leo grew frustrated and tired of trying and gave up, signing the divorce papers.  Of course, the movie had a happy ending, with Paige slowly realizing what she really want in her life, and deciding to give Leo a second chance to start their relationship all over again.

Ok, let's imagine the same thing happening to you.  You could not remember anything about your lover.  Someone so close to you, someone you once loved so deeply all of a sudden becomes a complete stranger to you.  Will you fall in love with the same person again?

I guess many would answer yes to this question. How many have you heard this - if there is a second life, I will still choose you to be my husband/wife. (Wow, rhyme.)Are you sure? Are you really sure? If yes, then why is it so hard for Paige to fall in love with Leo again? Because if you are really in that situation, I doubt you will be able to give a confirmed answer.

Digress, digress. Let's talk about the vow. All of you married people out there, do you still remember the vow you made on your wedding day? How you will take care of your spouse in sickness and in health? Think again, how many of you will really stick to your vows? Ya, ya, ya I will, my foot.  Look out there, divorcees everywhere.  (Wow, rhyme again.) Look at those husbands ditching their wives for new flings when their wives grew fat and ugly because they gave birth to three kids and never had time to go for facials. (Ya I know there are also bitches who dump their husbands when their husbands fail to meet their needs, usually material needs). You mean all these bitches and bastards never take the vow? The truth is, most couples read out the vows for the sake of doing it.  I mean, nobody can predict what's gonna happen in the future, so nobody can promise anything.  Vows are beautified promises.  When people hear them they go wow, so romantic.  But nobody, I repeat, nobody bothers to stick to it til the very end. (Ok, maybe one or two out of a hundred, the stats just keep on dropping.

It's a sad world out there.  If unconditional love is a living thing, it would be critically endangered.  Sigh.. sad sad world.

Thoughts about the demise of local veteran actor, Mr Huang Wen Yong , 黄文永

It started last year November. During the Channel 8 30th anniversary star show, Huang Wen Yong appeared to have lost a lot of weight, and also did not look well. It came to a shock to many as this actor had never appeared weak or sick on television. In fact he always had very clean and vibrant image, and definitely looked younger than his actual age. Answering to the many concerns, Huang Wen Yong explained that he had contracted stomach flu. Due to hectic filming schedules, he did not have enough rest so he still appeared sick during the anniversary show. He assured everyone that he was recovering and asked everyone not to worry for him.

Huang Wen Yong in November 2012 

Still looking vibrant during Star Awards 2012 in April, 

when he clinched the top ten most popular male artistes 

award for the first time.

From then on till March this year, there was no news of Huang Wen Yong. He seemed to have disappeared from the entertainment scene. It did not seem usual as we always get to see him in at least 1-2 out of every 5 Chinese drama series. Then in mid March he gave his assurance again through xinmsn that he was recovering well, not forgetting to thank everyone for their concerns.

Then came the ultimate shock last Saturday. On 20th April 2013, the beloved actor passed away in Singapore General Hospital due to lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer. My heart skipped a beat when I first came across the news on my Facebook news feeds. Was it a hoax? Within a few minutes, at least three of my Facebook friends had "RIP Huang Wen Yong" posted in their status. I knew then it must be true.

Soon, news of Huang Wen Yong's demise surfaced on television and papers. Just the following day, it was the annual Star Awards Show 1. Usually the stars would be on all smiles, speculating who would get what awards. But on that day, there was not a single smile on everyone's face. Some stars had just returned from the funeral parlour where Huang Wen Yong's funeral was held for 5 days. Some were so sad they did not even feel like attending the show at all. Half-a-minute silence was observed before the start of the show to pay tribute to the 60-year-old actor.

I was very touched to see so many artistes coming forward to do something for Huang Wen Yong, be it carrying his coffin (Tay Ping Hui was the first to volunteer), reciting Buddhist chants or taking charge of the whole funeral (陈国华). My 11yo student asked me why this man's news was all over the papers. I told him, "Though I do not know him personally, I believe he must have been a very good man to receive so much outpouring of grief because of his death."

So why is everyone so shock and upset over Huang Wen Yong's death? Well, for the past 30 years, he had never once taken a break from acting. He looked perfectly fine on television all these years. We had never heard of any news that he was seriously ill. Even up till the last show that I watched him acting in, Joys of Life, (which i enjoyed a lot; his annoying character, Smelly Fart Uncle, left me a deep impression), he still looked okay. When you never expect someone to leave so suddenly, his death would be hard to believe at first.

"臭屁仁" from Joys of Life

I believe that if he had left his acting career a few years ago, the impact of his death would probably not be as great. It's like everyone somehow feels connected to him, though most of us do not know him personally, and just as you thought he would be okay, suddenly he's gone. 

It makes me feel how vulnerable human life can be. It reminds me that we have to learn to cherish people around us as we can never predict what will happen in the near future.  It teaches me not to take people around for granted and learn to be grateful to others.

Huang Wen Yong, thank you for your hard work, keeping Singaporeans entertained for the past 30 years. Your professionalism, passion, as well as humility is something that all of us should learn from.  

Rest In Peace.

(I do not own any of the pictures posted.  They are taken from Google image.)

From 0 to 3

Evan's EDD was supposed to be around 14th  to 15th March 2010.  He decided to arrive 12 days earlier on 3rd March 2010.  Just like his mummy, "3" was his favourite number.  He was born on the third of the third month of the year.  He was born on Wednesday.  His birth weight was exactly 3 kg.  Only that he was born at 7.58 p.m, not 3 p.m. though.  Haha..



This was the first picture I took of him.  I think he looked like me the first time I saw him. 



One week old.  He still looked the same when he yawns nowadays.



Around 2 months old.  Starting to smile a bit.  So fat and chubby, unlike now so skinny.



3 motnths old. Yay!  Finally can lift up head and lie on tummy.  First time cut botak.  Still fat and chubby.



Taken on my birthday when he was 5 months old.  So cute..



Also around 5 months old.  One of my favourite pictures.  I was making some funny noises and it made he laugh.  So I kept making the sounds and snapped these pictures of him chuckling away.



6 months old.  This looked like it was taken at the studio, so pro.  Haha, nope it was snapped using my phone.



7 months old.  Shopping at Kiddy palace.  So adorable that strangers came up to touch his face and "sayang" him. 



8 months old.  We bought him a potty and he was so happy.



9 months old.  My handsome boy!



10 months old. Happily "walking" around in his playpen.  Loved biting the orange part of the playpen.



11 months old. On CNY 2011.

 

1 year old.  Tada! Standing without support.  Yay!

I don't snap as many pictures from 1 year old onwards.  So hard to capture him when he walked all over the place.



Around 16 months old.  There was a period of time he loved to climb into his toy boxes and sat in them  So I put him in one of the boxes, then piled toys on him so that he could not get up and took this picture.  He looked obviously uncomfortable.  Hahahaha..



Evan at 18 months wrapped in my blanket.  Haha.. reliving the swaddle moments.



Coming to 22 months.  As handsome as ever. =)



Trying out his CNY outfit.  It was too big for him, pants too long.  So we kept it for the next year.



Turning 2 years old.  So handsome lah.



2nd day at Child Care.  Obviously not enjoying at all.  It was a nightmarish period for us.  Change of maid plus going to child care equal to cry and cry everyday.  So heart pain, he never laughed or even smiled for at least a week I think.  And after attending for 4 months we pulled him out as he kept falling sick consecutively for 3 months.



Another studio-style photo I took before we went out.  27 months old.



There was a short period of time Evan loved smiling at the camera.  Really big smiles.



Ice-cream at Haagen Dazs. 32 months old.

Finally 3 years old.  See what I mean? Ask him to smile he give black face.  This was taken just before we left to a lunch treat with Candice, whose birthday was just one day after his.

Lunch at Turf Club.

Candice and her darling baby. =)

The horses we saw at Turf Club.  The black one was actually a donkey.

Evan's first close contact with horses.  He laughed at them when they 

neighed.  


And finally, celebration at home!

He posed like a rock star (with imaginary guitar)

One happy family =))))))))

Just me and Evan cutting the cake.

Wow! This post took me almost two hours to write.  Time for bed!  =)