I want...

Lately, I've really wanted one of these
or one of these
or one of these
I don't think I anticipated how hard it would be to give up chocolate or alcohol. And its amazing how chocolate is everywhere - choc coated ice cream, pods have chocolate, choc chip cookies, choc cake, hot choc, iced choc. the only hot drink I have in cafes is hot chocolate. And so many times since Lent begun that I have really wanted to go to a cafe for a cake of some sort and a hot chocolate. And its been pretty warm lately so the thought of a nice cold beer has been very tempting too.

I've been tempted to sneak a hot choc once or twice during lent. After all, its not legalism, but grace that prevails, so its ok if I don't follow my lenten vow or break it once or twice. However, I have realised how easily it is to gratify ourselves. I want a hot choc I can go get one. I want a cold beer, maybe not immediately, but the next time I'm at the supermarket I can get a 6-pack and keep that in the fridge for the next time I feel like a cold beer.

Its also made me appreciate even more the sacrifice that Jesus has made. I'm struggling to sacrifice comforts - a cold beer, a chocolate bickie, a hot chocolate. But Jesus (as Philippians 2 puts it) made himself nothing and came as a human being and obediently gave up his life so that we may be reconciled with God. The lure of a hot chocolate suddenly pales in relation to that.

Chinese New Year

February 18 was the first day of Chinese New Year. The Chinese follow the lunar calendar, hence the seemingly arbitrary date for celebrating the new year. This also means the date changes every year. This year is the year of the Pig (the golden pig apparently). Admittedly, I don't know much about the Chinese zodiac except that there are 12 animals in it.

Anyways, I went back to my parents house in Auckland to celebrate the new year since I wanted to make the most of it being in a weekend. On Sunday, my parents decided to have an 'open house' from 2-6 in the afternoon. 'Open house' means that you open your home for any visitors. This is a very common practice in Malaysia. It is customary to have an open house for the first 2-3 days of the new year and people can drop in at anytime during the day or night. Even at 11pm! The hosts will usually have at least an array of special Chinese new year cookies and cakes for visitors. Some will also have more substantial food (like various curry, satay, noodles, etc). Mum decided to have a few cookies and dishes. Visitors were mostly people from their church who wanted to experience what Chinese new year celebrations were like.

Its been about 10 years since we have done any sort of open house for new year and we are not keen to repeat it anytime soon! Interestingly enough, having an open house is something one cannot avoid when in Malaysia unless you are away on holiday. It is simply not acceptable to stay at home and not have visitors. It was great doing that briefly this year, but I think we were all tired out from it!

It felt quite nice going back for Chinese New Year. On the eve, it's customary to have a family reunion dinner so as it was a Saturday, mum cooked up a storm, so it was certainly worth it!

Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. This year, I have decided to observe Lent - so I am giving up alcohol and chocolate. I thought it would be good to practice spiritual discipline and focus on Jesus. As I was thinking about it, I realised that it was hard for me to settle on something to give up for Lent because it was inconvenient - I never know when I would feel like a nice beer (with the nice warm weather we are having lately) and I'm not a huge chocolate fan, but I do reasonably often eat chocolate things. And I don't drink coffee and very seldom drink tea, so hot chocolate is my drink of choice at cafes.

I hope that this would give me a renewed appreciation of Jesus' sacrifice. Not just his suffering on the cross, but the fact that he chose to come to live as a human and face the temptations and challenges that we face as humans. Its all to easy to take all this for granted, hence my reason for observing Lent this year.

sleep deprived

Whoever invented insomnia should be shot! Its a awful thing. Lying awake sensing that the sun has risen and you haven't yet fallen asleep. And then hearing the brids chirping cos its the wee hours in morning and you know you should be up soon. I have not been able to fall alseep before 3am for about 3 weeks now. It is slowly driving me to the verge of insanity.

Any ideas/remedies anyone??

Best of...

Its a new year (Happy New Year by the way), so its not uncommon to do best ofs (the last year of course). Here's my best ofs for 2006.

Best cafe:

• Simply Paris was a great find! They have wonderful bittersweet (handmade) hot chocolate which has made me expect good hot choc from French places (and thus was bitterly disappointed with the French deli in Mt Albert in Auckland). Their savoury menu is fairly simple - but yummy. But my fav thing is thier dessert and pastries, particular the custard millefoulle (I'm sure its the wrong spelling!). You HAVE to check it out if you're in Wellington.

Best movie:

• As it is in Heaven was a fantastic movie. Probably my favourite for the year. Though the Bond movie was a pleasant surprise and highly recommended.

Best CDs:

• For jazz, my all time favourite is still Diana Krall's 'Look of Love'. Her sultry voice and the bossanova style is just the thing to relax to.

• Hard to say which album of U2's in particular, as I have been listening to all of them on shuffle.

Best books:

• Bono on Bono was a great read. Its done interview style and over at least a couple of years. Good insight to the famous and activist front man of U2. My respect for him has grown after reading the book.

• The Time Traveller's Wife was also a fanstastic read. Its a different take on a love story.

Best toy:

• My Canon 400D digial SLR. This baby rocks (and takes good photos)! I have been able to just be trigger happy, play with various exposures and angles and not worry about how much it would cos me to develop the film later on!
  

Best concerts:

• Jacques Loussier Trio is simply brilliant. They really have groove and they are just musically so tight. A real pleasure and treat to listen to.

• Of course the U2 concert which has to be one of the top highlights in the year. Being up the front, and seeing them up close (let alone live!) was a bonus. The atmosphere was just pumping (despite the rain) and the boys do put on a good show.

Best misc moment:

• Being at the Collinson twins first birthday and dedication. It was a mad idea to drive up and down from Auckland in a weekend. But it was worth it! Brings new meaning of family.

Feel free to share what have been some of your best ofs for 2006.

Casino Royale

I wasn't that convinced when I heard that Daniel Craig was the new Bond - a blonde Bond? Plus he didn't quite have the Bond look (I liked Pierce Brosnan's charm and 'suaveness'). But, after watching Casino Royale last night, I think Craig is a fantastic choice! He's very different from Brosnan and seems to make Bond more believable and more human. And I like this brooding, dark, intense new Bond (as opposed to Brosnan's pretty boy, metrosexual Bond).

Back to the movie... Casino Royale is actually the first of the Bond stories as Bond has just gotten his '00' status (and incidentally the movie is apparently pretty close to the story in the book by Ian Fleming). There is a bit more focus on Bond and for once, Bond actually seems to draw blood in fight scenes! The fight scenes and stunts are more down-to-earth (no flying through the air after a crashing airplane kinda stuff). For once, there are no fancy gadgets, no Q, so Bond has to resort to 'normal' weapons. And don't worry, there are still enough explosions and fight scenes to keep the guys happy. There is a good story line and good characterisation. We also see more of M (Judy Dench), which is great.

Overall, I really recommend the movie. Its different from the the last few Bond movies though still has good effects (explosions), is slick and there are nice cars. I used to put Bond movies into the brainless entertainment category but now I think its a movie I would recomemmend to 'serious' moviegoers. At least I didn't go away thinking I had wasted $12 and should have just watched it on DVD (like I did with MI3). I think characterising Bond as brooding, dark and intense definitely has added a lot of depth to the character and the movie. I'm already looking forward to the next Bond movie!