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Author
The author is a paranoid, deranged and cynical misanthrope who records snippets of her life so that she will remember them when she grows old and withered. The identities of any names or initials on this blog are based on the assumptions of the reader unless otherwise specified, and the author claims no responsibility for them.
Reality
The author somehow got into medical school. Yes, you of the general public, shudder and fear the wrath of an inept doctor.
Loves
Reading, Maisy (my dog), tea, writing (albeit badly), piano, music, junk food.
Hates
Almost everything else besides the things mentioned above.
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Bao Cheng' Bernice' Chien Young' Chun Hing' Claire' Faustina' Felicia' Ferly' Gloria' Irene' Irene & Jiaying' Jac' Jiamin' Jiasin' Jiaying' Lutheng' Karene' Marissa' Melesa' Mingyi' My fictionpress' Pamelia' Pei Rong' Qiu Ting' Rachel' Satires Site' Stasia' Sylvia' The Clique' Vinette' Wenjia' Xin Rong' Xue Ying' Yanne & I' Yanne & Jamie' Zeena' 203'
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Chat area
I've got a tottering pile of work and revision to get back to, but I badly need to get this off my chest.
It's the eve to my grandma's departure for Singapore after her 6 month visit. These 6 months have been very different to say the least.
Admittedly, she gets quite annoying at times. After my parents sold their newsagency, they've been unemployed (due to the fking economic climate) and it's been pretty hard on us. I've had to look for a job, and so has my brother.
She has this really bad gambling habit that gets on all of our nerves. Seriously, lotteries never work in the favour of the buyer. Fine, 1 in a few million do strike the first prize, but it's so bloody rare that it's like donating money to the lottery commission. Despite my mum explaining our economic situation and the improbability of striking the lottery, she still insists on spending about $100 (both here and in singapore) on it.
Understandably, she's trying to get her own HDB flat to live in. My aunt nearly had a breakdown due to my gran, and has stopped talking to her. It is very depressing at the last stage of your life to be denied such freedoms like smoking (a major bane in both my mum and my aunt's houses) or even dialogue.
I suppose the main problem is the lack of understanding on both parts. My aunt has to be one of the nicest, most patient people I know in my life. And yet, she has been pushed to the verge of her tolerance. My gran, on the other hand, adheres to the traditional chinese rules that the elders have to be given first priority.
Unfortunately, in our modern world, that is close to impossible. Due to the cost and our busy lives, a person's tolerance can only be stretched thus far. It doesn't help that my aunt's family isn't the most well-off. My uncle works as a construction site driver. He works long hours just for a wee little salary. My 2 elder cousins are working, but they've only just joined the workforce and have a measly salary. My youngest cousin, on the other hand, is only 13.
According to the chinese traditions, my elder cousins have to give her a monthly allowance as well. Although my gran says that she can't bear to spend the money and has saved it up for them, it is still rather painful to watch hard-earned money spent on the lottery. I personally feel that too. A small sum for recreation is fine, but I think she buys way too much.
Another issue was her use of chinese medication/ointments. They smell absolutely disgusting, and stink up the entire house. It sounds like a really petty and trivial thing, but if you were to live in a house that stank like that, it's pretty intolerable. My clothes have been smelling of chinese ointment (some of you might have noticed when I was in sg), and undoubtedly, my cousins' clothes would too. She also regularly consults doctors, both western and chinese, and that too, is really costly. Not to mention the medication and ointments. My cousin was complaining that he has to spend his Saturdays accompanying her to the doctor, and paying for the cab fare and medication, which comes up to a princely sum of about $50 per TRIP. And it's weekly.
However, she is getting old. She's 77 already and sometimes, I look back on these things (and there're other issues too, but it'll be daylight by the time I've finished) and find them very petty and trivial. She did do a lot for us while we were young, the delicious chinese dishes cooked up every dinner. My mum argues that we did give her an allowance, but ultimately, she also agrees that my gran was a great help.
I don't know... My mum also said she cried this afternoon, and it's quite a huge thing for my non touchy-feely family. As expected, my mum immediately switched subjects but it has just been tugging at my heart strings ever since I knew. I know she'll miss us. I think I will too. After all, since we're living so far away and it's so expensive to shuttle up and down, the next time we see her might be when she is already gone.
Wth. I hate these things. I'm rather glad that I can't see her off at the airport tomorrow, because I might just break down into tears and that would really affect all of us. I really really hate farewells.
10:04 PM