Could you fill my glass up, please?

A glass of wine on my left and a half-burnt ciggie resting on the ashtray on the right waiting for my next puff, I s'pose this is the perfect setting to get inspirations and actually sit down and write something.

Something that's worth mentioning will be the tsunami that happened on 26th Dec in this region that has since resulted in a death toll of some 70,000 (and counting) with places such as Phuket, Sri Lanka and Aceh being hit the hardest. Singapore is indeed fortunate to have been spared due to its geographical position (that is, being buffered by Sumatra Island). It will be one of those major disasters that will go down in history and be remembered always, along with events such as September 11th, the Gulf war, the Turkish quake, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo (which resulted in Singapore being covered with dust and smog for weeks) and even the outbreak of SARS, which almost crippled the local economy.

I s'pose at this stage, I'll never be able to understand or empathise with the sorrows of those who are affected directly by these events, except for SARS maybe, as I was back in Singapore then and I saw how the whole thing almost blew out of control causing permanent damages such as high death toll and a high jobless rate. Without sounding too smug, I s'pose I could count myself as fortunate not to have been affected in a major way by any of these disastrous events. However, that doesn't mean I feel any better as it makes me wonder how immature I could be sometimes whinging about the slightest things; things such as not having a partner, not having enough fun, getting acne outbreaks, having too much work, having too little money or time, not being able to travel enough and even things like bad weather and breaking down of stuff such as computer and other electronic "toys" that I have. Now, how small does that make me feel during a time like this when hundreds of thousands of people out there have lost their loved ones, their properties, their lives and their hometown even?

Even with some of my friends here at home, they are constantly complaining about their lives or jobs or families and all and how they are envious and happy for me at the same time that I get the chance to further my studies overseas and will be working there even in the year to come. They have always wanted to go overseas for a period of time just for a change of scene when things get a bit much here, but never really get the chance to. On that note, I s'pose I should really be feeling fortunate and all that and it's time to readdress (not to mention tackle) my insatiable nature.

Mum and dad have always taught me since young to be contented with what I have and that would make me a better and happier person in the long run. I know this is definitely a good teaching but usually the reality is far from the ideal, and having said that, I am, of course, no perfect being (and no one can be either, for that matter).

I s'pose I can only strive for moderation, that is, to cut down on the whingings and the gripes. There's a Chinese saying that goes something like this, "to know and appreciate contentment is the way to go for perpetual happiness" (知足常乐）. I should use this as a reminder to myself, I reckon.

Anyway, to digress a bit, I have to say that after being away from my folks for a period of time now, I truly believe in another Chinese saying, which is, "it's always good to catch up once in a while, but it's never easy to live together under one roof"（相见好，同住难）.