v a s w a n i . s g

As my wife pointed out, the two weeks that I was away from home meant I missed out on, well, two weeks of Gillian’s growing up.

She also suggested that the same two weeks amounted to three and a half months of Bacchus’s growing up. Can you imagine?

Amazon.com Widgets

I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but have you ever seen an over-weight airline pilot?

Thought not.

I was lurking in the Barnes & Noble opposite the New School, somewhere along 18th Street. The careerist book-seller – missing only a pony-tail – was trying to impress a not-too-unpretty French customer. His pick-up line was

I’m a linguist. I speak a couple of languages.

Head of a Woman

How does she look? At once despairing, at once aghast.

What does she say? Lips pursed, mouth unopened.

What does she see? Eyes blank, starring defiant, eyes downcast, despairing.

Having chosen to take the leap of faith to put all my efforts into music when I was quite young, and having that risk rewarded so richly, that’s shown me what kind of things are possible in life – it’s really true, that not believing in yourself is like the greatest obstacle to so many things. It affects how well you treat others, too.

Nice one, Mr. Stringfellow.

More observations on the inner and outer universe on www.kenstringfellow.com

It doesn’t take much alcohol to spew out a resolution this coming Thursday week, at 23:46, 14 minutes before the year’s end; this invariably results in hapless dead ends or meaningless quests.

So, I decided to start earlier – four weeks ago to be precise. It’s simple enough to list these; more difficult is to measure and implement them. So far as possible, each of them has some minimal definition of success.

For 2010, I choose to

1. refrain from buying a single (new/used, print/e-) book. I love books. The embargo on adding books to my library is more than the struggle against consumerism. Books define me in more ways than I care to acknowledge. It is the sense of attachment to a bygone Tom; sometimes they are my only crutch. I’m curious how how I will be on my own.
2. prepare a meal at least once every weekend. Rationale? Well, I create the chance to rediscover my lost culinary (“ahem”) skills and the wife gets time off.
3. read with Gillian at least thrice a week. This is probably the most difficult to achieve, in part because she is not yet at that age (19 months) when she is willing to sit still for 10 minutes, especially at bedtime.
4. stop discriminating against non-Shetland Sheepdogs. I still have a preference for Shelties (who doesn’t?), but all canines – even malteses – deserve proper treatment. Just like kids, there are no “bad” dogs; only bad owners and parents.
5. devote 3 hours a day on the Executive MBA programme.
6. create, and work on, an investment plan. Personal finance is such a fascinating area and is so rewarding.
7. take up muay thai. 1 hour session every week for 8 weeks.
8. write a short book review every month.
9. complete writing the first chapter of my book.
10. change how I approach the world.

and for #11, here’s one from way out in left-field: play in a band again! (some practice will make the guitar sound, well, more like a guitar)

I’ll let you know how I get on. In the meantime, Happy New Year.

It seems baby and Bacchus are more alike than we previously thought.

For example:

1. Both love to tear up tissue paper;
2. Both find their way, without fail, to the master bathroom;
3. Both are afraid of balloons;
4. Both like mangoes;
5. Both tend to find, and subsequently munch on, clothe-pegs;
6. Their sighs are pretty much the same.

He loves denim

After a long day chasing kids and barking at random things, being cuddled and stroked by some many people, and being treated to so many doggies snacks, poor Bacchus doesn’t know what to do and takes shelter between my legs.

Later, upstairs in the apartment, he is back to his devilsih best.