TWINKLE IN THE STARS

What is life? That is the question, not the one that thinks it is the question, or the people the world over make it to be, “To Be Or Not To Be?”, a quote from William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”. When you ask anyone, even some random (my daughter uses this word quite often. Though it is a common word, you will hear from the generation born just after the turn of the century [this century, not the last; in case you were wondering], “flaunting” that word around) people walking on the street, “What is Life?”; they probably will give you their version of it, everyone with a different answer; all correct because it is their version of it.

Try asking them the “To Be Or Not To Be?” question, You probably will get stares, or “Whatcha talking about?”, or ‘”To be or not to be” what?’. Don’t mess around with them, literature people. They will know the answer or may think they know the answer. And you will have to know Hamlet and more.🤔😀

Crafted by barista Joanne.

I was at my favourite coffee bakery, Good Ground Bakery (G.G.B.); several times this week (and the week has not ended yet😀). Each and every time I visit G.G.B., the experience I get is different. The experience is always new… always fresh. Sure, the bakery structure and its physical contents are the same. However, every visit seems to be refreshing, a refreshed, welcoming, comfortable invitation without it being dramatic. It has genuine-ness about it.

Sarah, Good Ground Bakery’s awesome owner; Joanne, G.G.B.’s bright and creative barista, whose smile puts the twinkle in stars in the sky; Monique, the public relations ambassador (whose “Hi, welcome” is warmly given to each and every person that enters the door, and “Thank you, come again” as guests leave that same door); and the bakery crew who put together an amazing array of pastries and bread, all together put the freshness in “fresh” each day.

Not forgetting that we get older as each moment goes by, factually meaning that we change and get older as each of those moments arrives us.

I am a firm believer and try not to take for granted of this fact. In the movie, “Star Trek” – Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise – to boldly go where no man has gone before! Each moment that has yet to present itself to us, is an opportunity for us to boldly go where no one has gone before – new adventures.

Dalgona crafted by barista Joanne.

That’s the gist of this story. We have to keep reminding ourselves that we have to be thankful for each new moment, each hour, each day; to give the very best of ourselves to ourselves. This is reflected when we give the very best in what we do, to others.

We don’t have control as to when our lives begin (at birth) and when our lives end (our last breath). What we do have control of, is the in between. That is absolutely, incredibly awesome!

We have our own story, our own bestseller to tell. We can choose to write it in the past tense (a journal or a diary) or we can choose to write a novel, how we picture our lives to be and work towards it. Me? How am I going to write my story? The way I see it, I have volumes to write about. My past alone has 65 over years to talk about. I am excited about the present and the future… Page 1, Chapter 1…Year 2093…The next phase…

An usual coffee. Superb.

The Dalgona Twins

MEMORABLE MOMENTS WITH LAURA

Arrival: 9.15am, Wednesday, June 27th, 2001.
Enjoying herself. With my Compaq 64GB, playing continuous music for her.

Where have the 23 years gone? I ponder on this question as I sit here, in the car, thumb typing this essay out on my Samsung Galaxy Fold 5, while in the mood of pondering or is it wondering? I will have to go with “pondering”.

I am sitting here in the car, waiting for Jeannie and Laura, while they shop for groceries at Aeon in Subang Jaya (1). We had just come from Mid-Valley Shopping Mall (2) after having lunch at Oriental restaurant and then doing a bit of shopping. Oriental was crowded, with a long queue as usual. While Jeannie and Laura waited in queue and made the orders at the same time; I made a bee line to Harvey Norman. It was quite a nice afternoon at Mid-Valley. As I wait for Jeannie and Laura; I tap, scribble, write and gesture-make commands on the Fold 5 with the S-Pen (besides the thumb-typing, coming up with this article; they, the two ladies; are getting groceries to stock up for the weekend.

I made a quick round to the usual favourite shops while we were at Mid-Valley, to check out special offer deals, if they had anything new. I stopped in at Planet Traveller, Crumpler, Samsung, Flash Gadget, Hat Attack, Teva, Harvey Norman, Timberland and the Nescafe booth where they sell the capsule coffee machines. It was more of a browse through. I was done in about an hour. So was Jeannie and Laura. I caught up with them at Bath & Body Work.

As we headed back to Subang Jaya, I suggested we stop by at Good Ground Bakery on our way in. (Story for another day). We had a nice, late afternoon slice of dark chocolate cake, a big pastry puff for eats. Laura had a chocolate drink while Jeannie and I both had a calamansi cooler each. The drinks were real thirst quenchers on such a hot Thursday afternoon.

These two pictures of Laura are at my work station.

Laura did the two pieces of art above 👆 on my Samsung Note 2 (at that time in 2012), using the S-Pen. Notice her eye for details. Amazing! Laura was nearly 12 years old when she put the Note 2 through its paces.

Singapore

At Universal Studios, Singapore.👆

A couple of recent pictures 👆taken at Starbucks, Empire Gallery Shopping Centre..

This was taken at The Carpenter’s Daughter (TCD) on Mother’s Day. With us (Jeannie, Laura and I) are Praga, her fiancé, (sitting on her right); and Christopher (my cousin), and his wife; Evalina.

Much of our get togetherness was always at the dining table, be it at breakfast, lunch, coffee / tea afternoon or dinner. These were the times when we all needed to do the same thing – eat / have our meals. And, many times when we were with family.

One for the album. A recent Atkinson family picture.

An evening recently, when Sarah Atkinson, was able to join us for coffee at Marks & Spencer, Sunway Pyramid.

“O.K. You caught me. I am still gonna eat.” This was a good candid shot.

When Laura was there to celebrate Jeannie’s and my MBA graduation. Not too long after that, some 20 years or so; Jeannie and I, were there for Laura when she graduated from university.

This was a time when Laura was embarking on a new adventure; when she was leaving for the U.S. for her tertiary education.
Graduated

27th June, 2024. Dinner. Laura, Praga (her fiancé), me & Jeannie

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA!
MAY GOD SHOWER HIS CHOICEST BLESSINGS IN ABUNDANCE ON YOU.
LOVE YOU MUCH MORE THAN FOREVER!

NOTES:
1. Subang Jaya is an urban city in the state of Selangor, Malaysia.
2. Situated in K. L.. Kuala Lumpur or K.L. as it is commonly known in these parts, is a bustling metropolitan city. It is the capital of Malaysia.