Antoine and Annabelle live with their mother in a village south of Paris. Antoine and Annabelle loved their Maman very much, but most of all they loved the magic chocolate cookies she baked every Sunday. They were wonderfully soft and yet crunchy, the burried chocolate would surface like a treasure and melt languidly in their mouths. The cookies never went bad and Maman would painstakingly bake as many as possible every Sunday and store it in a transparent cookie jar that was placed on the highest shelf in the kitchen. Maman would use the best ingredients and bake the cookies with love because she knew that these magic cookies would bring her children happiness now and also in the future.
Antoine and Annabelle only had the cookies on special occasions. Like when it was Antoine's birthday, or when Annabelle had been bruised by the bullies at school. When they got older, Maman would take the cookies out of the transparent cookie jar that was placed on the highest shelf in the kitchen and sell some to her neighbours. She would use the money to buy things for Antoine and Annabelle.
Antoine and Annabelle never saw the cookie jar but they knew it was there. Maman talked about the cookie jar constantly and also talked about what she might do with some cookies. Antoine and Annabelle never saw the cookie jar but they knew it was there. After all, where did all these cookies come from? They knew they could always count on the cookie jar to bring them happiness when they needed it. Maman would never begrude them cookies and always made sure she was fair to her two little children.
Clever little Annabelle soon realised that cookies were a precious commodity and tried her very best not to ask for a cookie. She didn't want to think of the day that the cookies ran out, or that Maman might stop baking them. Antoine, however, continued to stuff his pudgy face with the delicious cookies.
The day came. The day Maman decided to stop baking cookies. Maman, with her tired eyes and knowing smile, sat her quite grown up children down and said, 'I am too old to bake cookies now. There are quite a fair few cookies left, and I am leaving it all to Antoine for his use and safe-keeping". She then escorted Antoine into the kitchen and took the cookie jar off the impossibly high shelf and handed it to Antoine. She whispered to him, 'Because you need it, my love. And because Annabelle will find her cookies elsewhere'. Antoine clutched the cookie jar close to his chest and walked out of the house for the last time.
A confused Annabelle tried to wait patiently for her mother to explain all to her. When Maman finally returned from the kitchen, she asked her, 'Maman, why does Antoine get all the cookies?'. Maman looked at her with all the love one could possibly afford a little female and smiled a bright hopeful smile. 'Ppphhsh darling Annabelle! Fret not for Maman remembered to save one last cookie for you! Aren't you a lucky little girl?'.
Annabelle could stop thinking about the cookie jar. The cookie jar that she never saw and she will never get to see.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Van DeMans
The Van DeMans by Catherine Goodard
Geoffrey Van DeMan, patriarch of the prestigious Van DeMan family, is dying. His especially doted on daughters Emily and Christie, and son Eric, are desperately anxious to receive Geoffrey's final will. Word has it that the patriarch will not hold to his past promises of dividing the family wealth equally.
The old Mrs Van DeMan thinks she is the only other person privy to the will and has started a very public compaign backing her husband's decision and consoling her bereft daughter Christie. A shame-faced Mrs Van DeMan is secretly elated that her daughters, who have stolen all of Geoffrey's love from her, will only be receiving a paltry token sum and that the bulk of the family fortune will go to her most beloved Eric and his family.
The high society family is breaking down as Emily's indifferent front is a cover for the fear of losing even her small inheritence by consorting with a man who does not meet with Geoffrey's approval. If only Geoffrey could die before she is exposed.
Meanwhile, Eric is keeping the biggest secret yet. His perfect family is a scam - paid actors hired to maintain the the happy facade expected by society and his family. Eric struggles to come to terms with his sexual impotency and the fact that the honoured Van DeMan name will die with him.
The day the will is read changes the lives of the Van DeMan children forever.
Avon Books, 2007
AUD $20.99NZ $23.99
Geoffrey Van DeMan, patriarch of the prestigious Van DeMan family, is dying. His especially doted on daughters Emily and Christie, and son Eric, are desperately anxious to receive Geoffrey's final will. Word has it that the patriarch will not hold to his past promises of dividing the family wealth equally.
The old Mrs Van DeMan thinks she is the only other person privy to the will and has started a very public compaign backing her husband's decision and consoling her bereft daughter Christie. A shame-faced Mrs Van DeMan is secretly elated that her daughters, who have stolen all of Geoffrey's love from her, will only be receiving a paltry token sum and that the bulk of the family fortune will go to her most beloved Eric and his family.
The high society family is breaking down as Emily's indifferent front is a cover for the fear of losing even her small inheritence by consorting with a man who does not meet with Geoffrey's approval. If only Geoffrey could die before she is exposed.
Meanwhile, Eric is keeping the biggest secret yet. His perfect family is a scam - paid actors hired to maintain the the happy facade expected by society and his family. Eric struggles to come to terms with his sexual impotency and the fact that the honoured Van DeMan name will die with him.
The day the will is read changes the lives of the Van DeMan children forever.
Avon Books, 2007
AUD $20.99NZ $23.99
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Enigma
You.
You are an enigma. Scientists should study you.
You go to work in the morning and when you don't understand what your boss is saying in the meeting, you burst into tears and leave.
You devote your whole life to cancer research and sepnd all your free time helping kids with cancer and their families to cope. You burst into tears when you are scratched by you neighbour's cat.
You complanin that being indoors is warm but humid and the outdoors is dry but cold. You whinge as though someone will and someone can make the outdoors warm and dry.
You are so sensitive. When your friends are down, you're always there to give hugs.
You are so sensitive, fatally wounded when someone asks you about your bad hair day.
You travel halfway across the world to be independent and then sulk like a baby when your loved ones are not there at your beck and call.
You go on and on about how much you love your fiance and how his actions tell you he adores you. Never fails to make your audience vomit. (And, while a small part of me is envious of your impossibly perfect relationship, I know that no one who is truly content and secure will go on and on about the mutual undying love between them and their partners).
You are an enigma. Scientists should study you.
You are a damn annoying cunt.
You are an enigma. Scientists should study you.
You go to work in the morning and when you don't understand what your boss is saying in the meeting, you burst into tears and leave.
You devote your whole life to cancer research and sepnd all your free time helping kids with cancer and their families to cope. You burst into tears when you are scratched by you neighbour's cat.
You complanin that being indoors is warm but humid and the outdoors is dry but cold. You whinge as though someone will and someone can make the outdoors warm and dry.
You are so sensitive. When your friends are down, you're always there to give hugs.
You are so sensitive, fatally wounded when someone asks you about your bad hair day.
You travel halfway across the world to be independent and then sulk like a baby when your loved ones are not there at your beck and call.
You go on and on about how much you love your fiance and how his actions tell you he adores you. Never fails to make your audience vomit. (And, while a small part of me is envious of your impossibly perfect relationship, I know that no one who is truly content and secure will go on and on about the mutual undying love between them and their partners).
You are an enigma. Scientists should study you.
You are a damn annoying cunt.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
RE: Tribute to a friend
"True friendship is never serene."- de Sevigne
I went back to the archives in your blog and found your entry 'Tribute to a friend'. Today is your day. I wasn't sure if a call would put you off.
I'll be here when you want to talk.
I went back to the archives in your blog and found your entry 'Tribute to a friend'. Today is your day. I wasn't sure if a call would put you off.
I'll be here when you want to talk.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
INTRO PLEASE?
I am sick and tired of people not having common sense, courtesy, brains and social skills.
AT first I thought it was very characteristic of Asians but now I know better.
It seems proper introductions have no place in today's society.
Wednesday, 3 Sept -
I came home from uni at around 4pm, went about my usual business grumbling to mum about how our pantry is severely lacking in unhealthy snacks and about my stupid group member who forgot that our assignment was due this morning. All of a sudden, the door bell rings. We weren't expecting any guests.. not that I was aware of anyway.. and not at this odd hour. Anyway, I checked my make-up quickly in the mirror before I opened the main doors. There stood 3 casually dressed Asians, 2females & 1 male, all around ages 40-60, looking at me as though I was indeed expecting them. 'Hello.....?" I let my voice trail off hoping that they would soon fill me in and I can send them on their way. A very chirpy "Hello! We are from Singapore!"was how they introduced themselves , still looking at me, making me feel like I was missing something.
"Uh...great. So am I...."WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE? Why can't tell just tell me already?
"We told your mum we'd call but we didnt..." In other words, 'sorry we've just showed up at your doorstep without prior notice/warning'. ... an awkward silence followed. WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE?
It was only after mum came to the door after taking her hair curlers out that she relieved me from my duty. I made my quick escape, all the while thinking how hard it would have been if someone just said "Hi, I am XX and this is my husband and my cousin. We're your mum's friends from Singapore".
As opposed to "Hello! We are from SIngapore!"..... GREAT.. turn around and wave the flag why don't you.
Thursday, 4 September
It was around 2.30pm, I was at work and the new stock of men's wallets just arrived so i was hunched over the bench busy putting security tags on them.
This sexy 30-something blond in a pencil skirt and lovely pointy shoes walks confidently into the store and when she sees my colleague Nisha, she says "I love your hair!" (random compliments are graciously accepted and generously given out here). And then she walks over to Jude, the store manager, and starts talking to him in a way that suggested they were either personal friends or she was a really good and frequent customer that allowed her to be on such friendly terms with Jude and Nisha. Anyway, she spots me in my corner and very cheerfully says a big HI to me from where she was standing (about 6m away). I return her an equally bright and cheery HI and go about my business, since I knew Jude was already attending to her.
"No -.... HI?".. The suddenly-not-so-sexy lady was talking At me again - altough it was bordering on shouting since she was a distance from me.
I started to get abit unsure now...so I just said "uh....hello"..WHAT THE HELL DID SHE WANT FROM ME?
Jude intercepts and proceeds to say "Oh Lynn, this is RetardX from Hugo Boss AUstralia. She does the store planning there."
Now I get it. We shakehands and I am quickly left to my own devices.
I couldnt help but think, who the fuck introduces themselves like that? "No....HI?"..
She might as well have said "No.. you dont understand.. Im an important person. Give me the attention I crave". She could clearly work out that I was working there even though I'm new, while I had never ever seen/heard of her. Seeing as I'm such a small fry in her eyes, why didnt the sexy, confident, well dressed 30-year old be gracious enough walk up to me and get acquainted?
Even more so since I've started working, I realise how paramount social skills are. When I started working here I remember a staff hand-out saying 'You only get one chance to make a first impression'. That couldn't be more true. Situations like the 2 I have described give away so many clues about a person's upbringing, education, character and attitude.
I admit it isn't as easy as it sounds though, and it doesn't come naturally to many people. And while remembering to always polite is a whole different ball game to cultivating a winning charm, acquiring a sense of social finesse will never fail you and will see you through many awkward and difficult moments in ur career and social life.
AT first I thought it was very characteristic of Asians but now I know better.
It seems proper introductions have no place in today's society.
Wednesday, 3 Sept -
I came home from uni at around 4pm, went about my usual business grumbling to mum about how our pantry is severely lacking in unhealthy snacks and about my stupid group member who forgot that our assignment was due this morning. All of a sudden, the door bell rings. We weren't expecting any guests.. not that I was aware of anyway.. and not at this odd hour. Anyway, I checked my make-up quickly in the mirror before I opened the main doors. There stood 3 casually dressed Asians, 2females & 1 male, all around ages 40-60, looking at me as though I was indeed expecting them. 'Hello.....?" I let my voice trail off hoping that they would soon fill me in and I can send them on their way. A very chirpy "Hello! We are from Singapore!"was how they introduced themselves , still looking at me, making me feel like I was missing something.
"Uh...great. So am I...."WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE? Why can't tell just tell me already?
"We told your mum we'd call but we didnt..." In other words, 'sorry we've just showed up at your doorstep without prior notice/warning'. ... an awkward silence followed. WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE?
It was only after mum came to the door after taking her hair curlers out that she relieved me from my duty. I made my quick escape, all the while thinking how hard it would have been if someone just said "Hi, I am XX and this is my husband and my cousin. We're your mum's friends from Singapore".
As opposed to "Hello! We are from SIngapore!"..... GREAT.. turn around and wave the flag why don't you.
Thursday, 4 September
It was around 2.30pm, I was at work and the new stock of men's wallets just arrived so i was hunched over the bench busy putting security tags on them.
This sexy 30-something blond in a pencil skirt and lovely pointy shoes walks confidently into the store and when she sees my colleague Nisha, she says "I love your hair!" (random compliments are graciously accepted and generously given out here). And then she walks over to Jude, the store manager, and starts talking to him in a way that suggested they were either personal friends or she was a really good and frequent customer that allowed her to be on such friendly terms with Jude and Nisha. Anyway, she spots me in my corner and very cheerfully says a big HI to me from where she was standing (about 6m away). I return her an equally bright and cheery HI and go about my business, since I knew Jude was already attending to her.
"No -.... HI?".. The suddenly-not-so-sexy lady was talking At me again - altough it was bordering on shouting since she was a distance from me.
I started to get abit unsure now...so I just said "uh....hello"..WHAT THE HELL DID SHE WANT FROM ME?
Jude intercepts and proceeds to say "Oh Lynn, this is RetardX from Hugo Boss AUstralia. She does the store planning there."
Now I get it. We shakehands and I am quickly left to my own devices.
I couldnt help but think, who the fuck introduces themselves like that? "No....HI?"..
She might as well have said "No.. you dont understand.. Im an important person. Give me the attention I crave". She could clearly work out that I was working there even though I'm new, while I had never ever seen/heard of her. Seeing as I'm such a small fry in her eyes, why didnt the sexy, confident, well dressed 30-year old be gracious enough walk up to me and get acquainted?
Even more so since I've started working, I realise how paramount social skills are. When I started working here I remember a staff hand-out saying 'You only get one chance to make a first impression'. That couldn't be more true. Situations like the 2 I have described give away so many clues about a person's upbringing, education, character and attitude.
I admit it isn't as easy as it sounds though, and it doesn't come naturally to many people. And while remembering to always polite is a whole different ball game to cultivating a winning charm, acquiring a sense of social finesse will never fail you and will see you through many awkward and difficult moments in ur career and social life.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
The Folks' Wagon (NOT ANY MORE!)
CONGRATULATIONS MS WOO!
On taking the delivery of your Volkswagen Eos.
On behalf of the management and staff, we thank you for your (father's) business.
On taking the delivery of your Volkswagen Eos.
On behalf of the management and staff, we thank you for your (father's) business.
Damien getting into the spirit of things!
And my mother, who looks like she's waiting for the perfect opportunity to pick the unsuspecting Damien of his pockets in this picture. Lol.
Me pretending to appreciate the engine. But I trust my dad when he says, "the engine's good".
What did he just say?
Take Me There too
cant quite figure out why Mandric is smiling like some (ahem) xu nu on a Channel 8 show.
Xiu Hui: Den are your eyelashes real?
Denise: No... but very nice right?
Wan Xin: ..
I'm hungry...
Take Me There
Thanks again you guys for making my last trip to Singapore most memorable and fun-filled. Here are some pictures of xh's brithday and then my last dinner with you guys on the trip.
Because Shing is in this picture, I could think of 50 rude things to say. But alas, my originality fails me as all I can think of is everything rotten/STI related.
"Not Another CD"
Gotta love 'em.
Happy 19th Birthday darl...
Love L
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Shoot me, Paparazzi
Mummy dearest, i love you. Thanks so much for helping with virtually everything for my formal. Thanks for helping me draw my eyebrows, pick my dress, put flowers in my hair, chose my brooch...love you!
can you tell its my house?
brendan and i, on my balcony.. we were looking into his mum's camera.
left to right: rach, steph, jason, me, lauren waugh, horner, rob k, lauren chesterman..stupid wind blowing my hair and making it stick to my lip gloss..
Steph's pre-pre-drinks.. lol.. we were splitting up at pre-drinks so we wanted to catch up before going our seperate ways...stpeh and hornicles here with me
chel's pre-drinks....note the similarities... and we didnt plan this!
in the limo...
i cant be bothered rotating this but you can be bothered turning your head. nicole franklin..
still in the limo.. elly danks in the blue..one of the best dancers at the school..
peter k and steph, my best geography buds! Peter's my MDC, Im his LDC. True love. lol
no.. he's not sleeping..his eyes are in fact open.
No Cadillac, no perms, you can't see
That he's a motherfucking P-I-M-P
That he's a motherfucking P-I-M-P
jonno!....who kept adjusting his hair so vainly for pictures... this was actually from his camera i think.. 
say 'ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh'
my too fav asian boys! lol.. we're the only cool ones in our chinese class of five... andrew looks like he's falling asleep as usual..
tommie and loz, jason and steph... and horner.. lol...
ironically rach's fav move.. she cant do this so she makes me do it. i secretly like it.
exner, who looks like an utter beach-bum with his surf hair.
this is rachel's most serious expression...
lol.. ah.. the love-hate relationship...
ching, the loaded mainlander, dearest jonno who not only had the honour of naming scotty, but who was fully convinced i dont eat beef cos im hindu, and a random international kid...
joey and i danced in House Dance Competition
tom mcnicol, who i love dearly when he plays the sax on stage.
my too fav asian boys! lol.. we're the only cool ones in our chinese class of five... andrew looks like he's falling asleep as usual..
tommie and loz, jason and steph... and horner.. lol...
ironically rach's fav move.. she cant do this so she makes me do it. i secretly like it.
exner, who looks like an utter beach-bum with his surf hair.
this is rachel's most serious expression...
lol.. ah.. the love-hate relationship...
ching, the loaded mainlander, dearest jonno who not only had the honour of naming scotty, but who was fully convinced i dont eat beef cos im hindu, and a random international kid...
joey and i danced in House Dance Competition
tom mcnicol, who i love dearly when he plays the sax on stage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)