Should I go to Turkey?

Lao shi has been invited to collaborate in "Xu Beihong in Nanyang" calligraphy workshop on May 31, 1-5 pm at the Singapore Art Museum. He wants me to take part and demostrate my writing skills.

Vincent just came back from Shanghai with loads of calligraphy papers which Tiger bought for me. I made a mistake, those nice orange papers with the 18 lo hans were bought from Beijing liu li fang, instead of Shanghai.

There are really beautiful red papers with dragon motifs for chinese new year couplets. The 18 lo hans he got this time is in yellow instead of orange. Thanks Tiger, these will last me for one year.

Vincent leaving again tomorrow, this time for Vietnam. Haven't been able to walk much this week and next week as he is not around to send and pick the girls, so have to work out at home on the cross trainer while watching Korean dramas. Liz said I am turning into an auntie!

Horror of horrors, there was a fly in my bowl of crab noodles last night!! Since Violet going for op next week, she wanted to eat all the "sinful food" that she will not be able to eat after the op, so we went to AMK for crabs, her favourite. To my horror, there was a fly in my bowl of noodles, the lady said it is a "flying ant". I lost my appetite completely after that.

Food for thought :

ST headline this morning - Rising food prices could result in 'mass starvation'

Heard on radio this afternoon - The world is getting fatter, and Singapore is no exception.

Managed to get Vincent to walk with me last evening, before dinner. Walked from Yong An to Esplanade and back within 90 minutes. I wanted to walk for another 30 minutes and as usual our friend complained about blisters and sat by the poolside and waited for me to complete my 15,000 steps.

Walked again this morning with my buddy and took a detour because of fumigation and can only manage from Yong An to Esplanade and back in 110 minutes. Wanted to go to the gym after sending Liz to french class, but was feeling lazy. Might pop into the gym later this afternoon after fetching Min or walk for another 5,000 to 10,000 steps in the evening.

Jer thinks she's very very cool and of course the whole world will agree. WHOA ego boost. Sorry, heh no one's ego can be as inflated as Willie's. (yes, Jer is at home, no school today).

Han - Jer's chinese name

Finally, wanbao's interview, (thanks Jer) :-

Let go. Look forward. Cherish.

Trying too hard can become a burden. Just do the best you can and be happy.

It started raining when we were walking last night, so my buddy and I decided that we don't mind getting wet and walked all the way back instead of asking Vincent to come out and get us. It was a nice wet walk. We came back totally drenched. I love walking in the rain. It has been a long time since I last walked in the rain.

I missed walking with my buddy, we used to walked 20 kms a day, all the way from Yong An to Tanjong Rhu and back, 5 days a week. Jer and Su completed the way with us a couple of times, Liz too, but not now. Min prefers to run. Vincent would whine about cramps and blisters and asked to take a taxi home during those few rare times that I managed to persuade him to walk with me.

Last night's walk and catching up with each other and subsequent drenching was good for the soul.

I need my exercise and my calligraphy.

So the interview with Lianhe Wanbao was published in last evening Lianhe Wanbao. It was a well written article. The "Han" (Jer's chinese name) which i wrote a couple of weeks ago is really nice. I have written Liz's and Min's names too but they are not so well written, and no girls, it is not because I am biased, or I spoiled Jer. It is just that Han is easier to write than Qi or Min. I wrote Qi and Min first and Han last and Han was back from backing when the the photographer came to Lao Shi's studio. To sidetrack, my face looked like a moon! Must be the angle which the photographer took the photo.

I love calligraphy, especially when the words flow out well. I love the really big stamp which Tiger did for me and Lao Shi did not allow me to use until I wrote Han. He said it is too big, in comparison to my writings.

I am into writing Confucius' analects now. Hope Lao Shi can get the book for me from The Confucius School.

I bought another big brush!! This is the 2nd big brush I bought in one month. I must have spent a fortune on brushes. I love big brushes and I always believe that for calligraphy to be well written, I need good brushes. Unfortunately I can't seem to find good ones in China and Lao Shi's brushes are so expensive.