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My dad’s talked about this since the early 90′s: Of bringing the whole extended family for a visit to his hometown (more like village). Not that we minded the idea. Back then we only loathed about what the likely quality … Continue reading
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She doesn’t find my jokes funny all the time anymore. She doesn’t tell me everything that’s bugging her, or what she is thinking anymore. I saw a bag of her old clothes ready to be given away- that she has … Continue reading
This, and last week, were quite significant for me. My parents are moving to a new gated community along with my two older brothers. What is significant; I guess not just for me, is that our parents have been living … Continue reading
I started this blog about 2 years ago now. Caitlin would have been about 2.5 years old then. If memory serves me right, I would have already done this memorable (at least to me) routine with her already: HM was … Continue reading
The passing of Michael Jackson. It didn’t really hit me much when I heard this news- I was driving to work in traffic when it came on the radio. After all he’s been out of the limelight in recent years, only within the last few months that he’d announced a comeback with (kick-off?) concerts in London.
It only hit me when the radio stations started playing tribute to him by airing a lot of his music.
When Beat It and Biliie Jean was all the rage, I remember it was also the time when there was this controversy over the song Maniac from Flashdance’s soundtrack, and my introduction to the word “lucah” (obscene). Being the young’un I was then, I was more fascinated / engrossed in MJ’s music and his wow-ness and not really understanding / didn’t yet have the hormones over what the fuss was about with that other discussion in the local media.
I recall there being a behind-the-scenes show as a run up to that year’s (was it 1983?) Grammy Awards where it also included the full clips of Billie Jean and Beat It, Every Breath You Take, and Maniac too; and where the tv station “apologised” over the obscenity of that Maniac song by re-airing that program censoring Maniac. I also remember reading a letter-to-the-editor citing the lyrics being so inappropriate, in a local newspaper.
How times have changed.
Being the only child left at home with all older siblings overseas, and that there was no real entertainment at home after school (local programs stank), that run up show was all I watched, on tape. I was never into the Chinese serials that my parents watched; nor were they the type that “chased” new episodes as soon as they arrive on our shores.
I made my group of friends in very junior local high school learn the Thriller dance moves because I wanted to perform at the school concert / dance. It never happened, because the teachers couldn’t (wouldn’t?) fit me in on their program for the night. Nonetheless, I had already studied and coached the guys the whole music video’s moves.
I would be so embarrassed of myself now, about myself then…
I also recall how the media and industry were pitching MJ against Prince and the Revolution; the same time when DeBarge and other high pitched wannabe’s came on the music scene. MJ was still the man though, even with high pitch he had gusto in his voice. The others were just “soft” singing.
I never liked Prince. Mainly cos he was the bad boy and I had always wanted to be the good boy in the adults’ eyes. His image was also kinda weird for me; puffy shirts and floral references. The girls in school loved him though, as girls do with badboys- it’s probably because I didnt like him that the girl whom I had a crush on didn’t like me.
Stupid Prince.
I also recall how my Bahasa teacher said MJ was a pondan, and how I felt like there were ants in my pants then, because I liked MJ EXCUSE ME HE’S DE MAN YA BALDING OLD MAN WHO DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MUSIC.
I was already in a boarding school in Australia when Bad came out…. “.. Your butt is mine..”?? Huh?
Wait a sec, is that MJ?? But this guy’s white! It’s from here on that I wasn’t into him anymore.
But the memories of Ben, Off the wall, “I say you wanna be startin’ somethin’”, human nature all bring back childhood memories. We used to huddle around sitting on the floor of our old house watching the Jackson 5.
“.. just call my name, and I’ll be there….”
Oh, and not forgetting “We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving….”
I have mentioned about his shifty eyes, looking at Daddee funny with an attitude, when he was only 6 months old.
Now he doesn’t look at me when I tell him off.
He’d sometimes take forever to finish his bottle of milk. 3/4 through and he’d stop, get off the sofa, wanders around for whatever / whoever. He’d look for HM, his jie-jie, or just because. He’d walk to walls and slap it. He’d come over and put his head on your lap and then rubs his face (nose) on it too, hands free.
Sometimes he’d stop the milk with “nn-more” accompanied by the “finished” hand gesture, as if you’d believe that the 3/4 bottle is empty; and proceed to get off the sofa.
Just because he can walk. At 17 months he is walking around, screaming demanding for stuff, stuff his jie-jie has just because she is holding it, screaming because his jie-jien snatches it back, screaming just because he has a voice. He’d also mumble. Sometimes imitating words he’d immediately heard uttered by the adults around him, sometimes it’s his own words that he’d used before, like that dah-den that seems to me to describe anything and everything in his universe.
I’d go over, carry him back to the sofa, sit him down and get down to his eye level, grunting “Finish your naan-naan!”
He’d look past me. At the tv behind me, at the wall behind me, at the shelf behind me. Just not at me. He’d move his head slightly, but it’s usually just the use of his eyes, no need wasting energy moving the head. No, don’t make eye-contact with Daddee, let’s drive him crazy a bit more. Ignore the bugger.
* Now I know what my mum went through, getting me to sit down and finish whatever it was I was supposed to do! And Caleb is not even 2 yet!
I was gonna say “It has begun”.. but you know it had already begun even before he turned 1! Ugh!
Posted in A father's POV, A toddler's POV, Caleb the heir, Ergonomics, Infant development, milestones, Parenting musing
Tagged baby, cheeky, difficult babies, milestones, toddler, trouble
And again, it’s not Daddee.
He’s been pronouncing; more like uttering, “words” beginning with “D”. Such as “duh duh duh duh…” or “den den den…”
Tonight, I kinda figured out how to “spell” something he’s been uttering for about a week now.
Ardent; without the “t” of course.
On a related matter of his development, his walking is a lot more steady now. It’s quite amazing how within 3 days of making the first steps, he’s now walk-chasing his jie jie quick briskly.
Mind you, Hot Mummee thought his style of walking reminded her of one she knows but can’t quite put her finger on, until I reminded her of it.
Orangutan. Yup, legs spaced apart, arms up.
Heh.
Posted in A toddler's POV, Caleb the heir, Classic Quotes, milestones, Parenting musing, Short post
Tagged first words, milestones, walking
