“When we're incomplete, we're always searching for somebody to complete us. When, after a few years or a few months of a relationship, we find that we're still unfulfilled, we blame our partners and take up with somebody more promising. This can go on and on--series polygamy--until we admit that while a partner can add sweet dimensions to our lives, we, each of us, are responsible for our own fulfillment. Nobody else can provide it for us, and to believe otherwise is to delude ourselves dangerously and to program for eventual failure every relationship we enter.”
-Tom Robbins
My heart just goes warm and fuzzy when I see those intricate and nice christmas cards for sale. I actually save the ones I received, all, somewhere, and display them every christmas, and this weekend that's what I will do! They have such lovely displays at the stationery shop I frequent (a'n' bc at raffles city) and such cute calendars for sale. I'm always going there to buy cards and stickers and look at all the beautiful stationery for ages (great way to kill time in shopping centre since I'm so much more inclined to buy things to wear, than things to...collect dust.) They also have my fave Edward Monkton cards - ever since Mr A. gave me a card unexpectedly we have been giving each other cards from the range and they are all sitting pretty on my dresser! Every christmas, for years, I have been giving cards from Marks & Spencer, mainly because they come in 20s and I have that many people to write to, also because the cards give back a percentage to charity and the paper is made from recycled wood pulp... so I feel good even if I don't use up all of them! This year I feel like doing things differently... let's see how.
It's funny how memories can influence us in such subliminal ways. I was at Old Airport Road eating yesterday and decided to go to the old skool shops for post-lunch walk. They have some shops selling those ancient vintage watches that are all gold! Bought a magazine from a stationery shop...lo and behold! I spied Parker pens in the display... (and it was on sale! bad.) Best of all, it was 'the one' which I loved. When I was about 10 or so, Dad gave me a Parker pen exactly like that one. Only it was a pencil that looked like a pen.
'Uncle, is this a pen?'
'It's a pen.'
'Not a pencil?'
'All pens.'
'But I remember it was a pencil...'
'...it's a pen, lah...'
I think I irritated the uncle... cannot be I remember wrongly right? 10 year-olds have little uses for pens during my era. Anyway I found a photo on the lovely internet, see, Parker pen and pencil looking exactly the same. I loved that pencil very much, my Dad had specially engraved it for me. I think it was quite costly then. Cross pens were in too for the similar category range, but I really didn't like their ink coming out and the painted part flakes after a while. Parker is the best, lor. Can't seem to find their old school pens selling anywhere anymore.
My lovely pen. I feel quite happy looking at it. On my 'note' book (the irony.) And it was only left in red (last 2) and my old pencil was this color too!I must go find my old school pencil. Oh man, now I feel like buying up the whole range. *controls insane urge to run over to Old Airport Road now*
Some history:
http://www.penbox.co.uk/jotter.history.htm
Today I thought about Christmas and I remembered what we did last year, it was an unplanned trip up to Melaka. Due to our friends who had their transport canceled at the last minute, we drove them up and had the bonus of nice company and free lodging as well! Quite paiseh but all the hotels in the area were fully booked! And we had satisfied my craving for the longkang burger, he satisfy his cravings for gazillion chicken feet dimsum...(the sate celup craving remained unsatisfied up till this date) we took requisite photos in front of a christmas tree, etc. So a small town christmas is something that I really look forward to instead of the mad rush and scary crowds type.
I really wonder when I will get to enjoy such moments again.
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