little champs

I attended my daughter's sports day yesterday and found myself getting emotional watching them sing the national anthem!

Although they were unwittingly singing under duress (i.e. because they were instructed to and not for love of singing a paean to their country) and also singing the nation's worst version of it (chicken farm polka version that makes me wanna whack on a hat and spurs and slap my thigh and shout, "yeehah!"), they were singing loud and clear and putting us adults facing them to shame.

The reason I got emotional is the reason why people cry watching ads. I was suddenly hit by the notion of coming together for games in the name of competition, sportsmanship and honour. It's when people forget race, politics and money and cheer for someone wholeheartedly, for the win, for excellence.

That's the ideal anyway. Of course all those things dirty up the ideal in the real world, but yesterday, it was all good spirit and fun. My baby's team failed dismally in both her telematches. But she was so proud of her consolation medals. Part of me was ecstatic that she loved it all anyway and that she wasn't upset that the team lost. Twice. Another part of me wanted to explain that in the real world, consolation prizes meant, "Thanks for trying, loser." I ended up explaining that it was not a bronze medal, and no, two bronzes don't make a silver.

The compere was a harrassed lady who had to remind the parents constantly to step off the race track and out of the way of the judges who were ranking the winners by sight. Towards the end of the day, she also said, "and parents, please leave the judging to the judges".

It was a laugh, but really, parents take it all a little too seriously sometimes.

Been watching "Jon and Kate Plus 8", on Astro 733 (Discover Health and Living), about a delightful couple with a pair of twins and a group of sextuplets. This couple have such amazing depths of patience and a lovely sense of humour. They must be totally organised in order to have the day work! Their wry sense of humour really appeals to me, especially when they talk about each child's character. I love when the mother starts talking about how their youngest twin has such a forceful personality and how she is manipulative and bossy, and the husband glances sideways at her repeatedly, for the benefit of the viewers.

Three days ago I got a new car! I actually went car-shopping with Panini, and ended up buying. I liked one model, but hubby thought it was too narrow and long. We found another in the shop which we both liked, and I especially liked because it fit so many people and most importantly, was super comfortable for me (the one who would spend practically half a day in it). Panini's beau, let's call him Kikibelle (*pokes out her tongue*), remarked that it was obvious I wasn't going for looks.

Pffbbt! This from a Savvy driver! I say it looks interesting for an MPV-type car. Panini says it's a bullet. Hey, I used to drive a Waja, so you could I'm not really in it for the car's looks! If I didn't have kids to cart around or production work to think of, I'd get me a Lotus. Went for a test-drive once. Really got my rocks off. But by that time, I'll probably have knee and back problems and find it hard to get in and out of.

Anyway, since I usually drive the car and don't watch it from outside, I went for the interior. Spacious, comfortable, nice sound system, clean, nice engine (2L) and lots of seat configurations, my favourite feature! Let's just say I am one happy camper. Now all I have to do is get the stupid neon stripe off (it comes like that from the factory. WHY?)

So hubby is away finishing "Los Dan Faun". I am doing the subtitling, work I enjoy the way I enjoy writing: love-hate. I love the application of my faculties. I hate the tedium of the work: cut and paste, which is pretty much what I do for the subtitling (the translation has been done. I am inputting).

Got to the Los Dan Faun website and enter the competition to stand a chance to attend the premier!

If you liked "Cinta" and want to see Afdlin play a straight romantic role, go watch "Sepi", you won't regret it - open in cinemas now.

Back soon!
C