2024 Reflections

 

Whoops I just broke my first new years’ resolution for 2023: it’s 31^st December and I’m finally starting my reflections for 2024. XD Perhaps I shall try again: for 2025, I plan to get the post about how I spent my Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day up right after those days have ended, thus giving me more time to properly reflect on the year that’s almost was!

2024. Another year of highs and lows. Let’s stick with the template I’ve used for previous years to cover this year:

Physically-wise – last year, I stacked it four times. This year, I’ve stacked it thrice; my last tumble happened two days ago, so fingers crossed that I can finish this year without tumbling over again! O_o

Nearly eighteen years post-brain injury, I’ve more/less accepted that the free, independent life I once enjoyed isn’t gonna come back. >< *sigh* I can walk (despite the cruel and unfaithful God’s awful intentions to leave me wheelchair-bound for life ><) but it’s with a disabled gait and I must wear an orthotic over my affected left foot if I’m to walk without pain. My less-affected leg strides out normally, but my affected leg kinda like goes around when taking a step? I think the word for it’s circumduction.

While the average Australian’s supposed to get four weeks’ annual leave, I’m only getting two before blasted physio resumes in 2025. *sigh* Seeing that I was doing physio all the way up until Christmas Eve, I’m only two days into my annual leave, so should you be insane enough to suggest I do any stupid physio/exercise for you, I will (1) stick my finger in my ear and politely pretend I didn’t hear or (2) stick my finger in my ear and politely pretend that you don’t exist. XD

Work-wise: unfortunately, I’ve still not been able to secure properly paid work. When I contacted Axiom asking could I please resume study (I was doing some Cert 2/4 in business, with the hope that the qualification could help me secure proper paid workwork) they said you’ve gotta pay the course fee again since the course has been upgraded since you first started. Well, stuff that … where does that leave me? Mother refuses to lemme try any disability employment agency since she believes I’m too freaking disabled too hold down paid work. >< Sometimes I can’t help but suspect that she deliberately denies me opportunities and tries to keep me socially isolated so I’ll forever be dependent on her, despite her always saying she wants me as independent as possible.

Remember, I’m willing to do ANYTHING (even wash toilets XD) provided I can do it whilst seated and it gets me properly paid. With one hand I type approx.. 31WPM. Slow, I know, considering I used to touch-type approx. 60WPM with both hands pre-brain injury but it’s at 100% accuracy so not too bad for typing with only two fingers, hopefully?

Spiritually-wise: by now, I’ve come to the realisation that if you don’t expect anything, you can’t be disappointed when absolutely nothing happens. Seriously, what then, when God doesn’t come through for you?? I’ve probably said this in previous years, but I really hate how the cruel and unfaithful God’s the only way to heaven, you know? Society doesn’t work like that. Don’t like your job? Change careers! Don’t like what you’re studying? Switch degrees! Oh, why can’t religion be like that too? Honestly, sometimes I wish there was ANY OTHER WAY TO HEAVEN APART FROM God since I would take it in a second. In a jiffy. In a instant. No looking back. Just bye God, I’m gonna go follow, go love praise and worship Someone else who actually gives me a life, a hope and a future, which is what you’ve so cruelly denied me. But I can’t. I’m stuck with God. *sigh* What can I do but keep on persevering and hope that God will eventually come through for me …

Sporting-wise: obviously, one highlight of 2034 was the Olympics! Australia did great this year! I’m just wondering about that FOURTEEN year-old girl (Arisa Trew? Sth like that, anyhow) who won GOLD in the what, skateboarding? She’s only in grade nine but she’s already conquered the world! How will she spend the rest of her life?

Unfortunately, the smelly Blues regained the Origin shield this year and finally broke the hoodoo that hadn’t seen them win at Suncorp Stadium for ages; even worse, the Broncos didn’t even make the top eight after being grand finalists last year! *cringe* Hopefully the new coach can lead them to their first premiership since 2006 but seeing it’s the current NSW Blues coach; I’m worried …
>< XD

Para-table tennis @ Windsor this year has been awesome, probably because one of the new coaches is Uncle James, who attends CM at BCAC! Kim often tells me to go play with him and one thing I’ve learnt from Uncle James is not to rush: I tend to be an inconsistent server since my serves often go awry and unlike normal tennis, there’s no fault and second service in table tennis: you do one poor serve and you’ll lose the point! Lol, and I only found out that Uncle James is actually Doug’s DAD; how could we have been in the same SG for so long without me ever realising it?? XD But one cool thing about this year that deserves a mention in my Reflections for 2024 is that this year, I competed in the State Games!  (I’m giving it capitalisation just to make it look cooler but for all I know it might actually be just lowercase, state games. XD) Unlike the other few competitions during the calendar year, where players are awarded with ribbons, at the state games you get MEDALS! I won a bronze for singles and the GOLD for doubles; should I wear them while I’m struggling to walk they clink together and make it sound like I’ve actually achieved sth! XD

Everything-else-wise: oh, this year I’ve remembered nineteen dreams, three of which have been FOOD dreams. Well, one was actually a drink dream. XD I’m looking forward to having and remembering more dreams next year! Forever grateful that since I’ve been released from the insane asylum (more commonly known to everyone else as the Brain Injuries Rehab Unit of the Princess Alexandra  hospital XD) just over 16.5 years ago, the cruel and unfaithful God doesn’t send me multiple nightmares anymore; hopefully he’s gone to pick on someone more than He hates me! Sure, God loves us and all that, blah blah  blah, but God created whoever invented the phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’ and going by His actions towards  me, I can only surmise that He HATES me. Wish I knew why … like, if He told me ‘twas coz I didn’t read the Bible loud enough/long enough, I’d try read it louder/longer. If He told me it was because I didn’t read the Bible loud/long enough, I’d try read it louder/longer. If He told me that ‘twas coz I didn’t give Him enough offering, I’d try find paid work and give Him more money. Only God didn’t; He just destroyed my life! He can’t do that … well, He can and He did, but if He’s really the loving and compassionate God He boasts about being in the Bible He shouldn’t have. Yet I’m stuck with Him. *sigh* I can’t jolly well commit apostasy and still expect to enter heaven once this life’s up. ><

Whoops I’ve just deviated from my train of thought; getting back on track: well, seeing as there’s just over thirty minutes until 2025 arrives, I’d better jot down some new years’ resolutions! Only please note that most resolutions are broken after like the first week of the new year. XD

Obviously, I’ll haveta continue working to improve my mobility. Being disabled sucks majorly but since that’s the lot I’ve been dealt with in this life, I guess I’ve no other option but to face it head on.

Oh, since it’s Summer now, hopefully I can ask Peggy to sew up Pijum, and then mother can wash him, put him out to dry and I can wrap all four limbs around him to sleep again! I was so upset when Lena discovered a bedbug in my room and mother promptly binned Pijum, saying he’s probably got bedbugs in his stuffing but I asked Google, who taught me that infested teddies can be saved after a thorough wash and soak in the Sun! Only tonight mother was saying no, that she actually needs to throw things out since after she can’t look after me anymore I’ll haveta go into care and there won’t be any space for all my soft toys … well, hopefully she’s just grumpy since it’s past her usual bedtime and toms she’ll come to her senses, help save  Pijum and give him back to me to sleep with!

 

Oh, hopefully I’ll get a chance to practise and improve my public speaking skills next year! This year I participated in a Toastmasters competition (but either came second-last/dead last >< XD) only some higher-up said she really liked my speaking and wants to invite me to be a guest speaker at some conference next year! Unsure how that works since mother’s forever GOING ON AT ME about what a BORING person I am, but who knows? Let’s just wait and see!

Righteo, cya all next year!

Cheers,

Em. ^^
P.S. Next post here …  surely a movie review? I’ve still not done the one for Despicable M 4 yet, even though I’ve seen other movies since!

P.P.S. Apologies for any mistakes found; it’s past 11:45pm and I’ve gotta stop editing and publish it, else I’ll miss 2025’s arrival! XD

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2024

 Toms is NYE and I’m gonna haveta pen my reflections for 2024 when suddenly I realise heck, I’ve not even shared how I spent my Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day yet! Yeah, I’m unorganised. So shoot me. XD

Christmas Eve: I begin Tuesday with an awesome night’s sleep (when I bid my teddy sweet dreams, fall asleep and don’t wake again until the Sun has risen sufficiently for me to be able to see the time on the clock attached to the wall). After relieving myself, once I’m back in bed waiting to fall back asleep I console myself that while this year I’ve gotta endure blasted physio all the way up till CHRISTMAS EVE, at least afterwards there’ll be a pizza party! I’m also happy since I’ve just scored my 17^TH week of consecutive awesome sleeps!

My teddy Pearl (he’s a soft toy bubble tea ^^) and I happily cuddle and snore again for a couple more hours until I’m woken by the sound of mother a-THUMPING noisily around upstairs. Going to relieve myself again, I suddenly discover that I’ve developed wry neck! >< (in Canto:  fun lai geng) When mother lets herself into my room to hit me with the eye goo (my right eye needs eye gel and eye ointment to keep her lubricated since I can’t fully shut the eyelid which leads  to dryness) I let her know, and she IMMEDIATELY bites my head off (thankfully not literally XD) blaming my bad posture for this developing. Yes, I’m aware that somehow I’ve developed poor posture sitting, standing and walking post brain injury, but how the heck does one SLEEP with bad posture?? Huh, go figure. *sigh*

I brush teeth, sit briefly over the loo, wash and dry my hand and then head out to the gobbling :P table for breakfast.

Christmas Eve breakfast isn’t anything special; just the usual bowl of healthy cereal – two dry (no honey) Weet-Bix very lightly sprinkled with some Minus (what I like calling the Plus cereal :P) with one slice of dry (unbuttered) toast very lightly spread with some avocado and hopefully sprinkled with some salt. I say hopefully since I can never taste any but mother insists that she’s definitely sprinkled some on, in which case I conclude that she’s got very sensitive tastebuds.  Monicah arrives two minutes late today and covers my face with sunscreen. Before leaving for physio, I sit once more over the toilet.

Actually, my last session of physio for 2024 isn’t too strenuous on my part, since I inform Winnie about how I woke with a wry neck (ow) and she spends most of the session treating me for it. I did ask her how the heck did I sleep with bad posture (like mother bit my head off for) because once I climb into bed I think I resemble a stick but Winnie immediately reassures me, saying no, you didn’t do anything wrong; you were probably just too excited about your final physio session for today plus our pizza party afterwards and just fell asleep in an awkward position. Ha, mother! XD

I finish my final physio session for 2024 with some boxing! Have I mentioned before? Last year/the year before that, the physio got out boxing gloves and pads; while I slipped the gloves  on, he wore the pads and let me box him. I had no idea how much INBUILT FRUSTRATION I hold inside until I finally got a chance to release it! For some reason, right hooks are the best way for my right side to release tension, while uppercuts have the most strength for my affected left hand. Since she’s got sh*tty co-ordination post brain injury, her jabs and uppercuts are wonky at best but it feels easier to punch straight up? One year, Breathe had a UQ physio student placement with them; I was boxing him to end one session near Christmas. After one round of punches, Eric winces and remarks, “Hey, I can feel your punches much more now. Back when I first started, they were nice and gentle but now they’ve got a real bite to them.” I laugh and continue to punch his pads while I reply? “Yeah? Well, I’ve been doing blasted physio since the first week of the freaking year, and I. Want. My. Holidays!!” Each word was accompanied with a hard punch. XD

But once physio has finished, it’s time for pizza! While Winnie supervised my exercise session, Shirley went out to a nearby Pizza Hut and brought back a vegetarian pizza, a chicken pizza and a stick of garlic bread! I thought chicken pizzas cost extra but Shirley says it was normal price? I happily munched two slices of the chicken pizza, one slice of the vegetarian pizza and chomped about three chunks of garlic bread. Originally Shirley had told me no pizza for your carer (since I wasn’t paying for this) but while Winnie and I were enjoying our pizza, I heard Shirley pass Monicah a plate of pizza too! Aww, how nice of her~

Before leaving, I asked for permission to yell; that given, I threw my head back and SCREAMED “NO MORE PHYSIO THIS YEAR! HOLIDAYS!!” Winnie and Shirley laughed, said cya next year and shooed us out the door. XD Oh, and I went to Woolies and bought Connor a chew toy for Christmas! Mother baked Shirley and Winnie a cake~

After using the bathroom once (apart from a disabled toilet, their normal ladies toilet even has an ambulant cubicle; CZ258’s the code to get in, but there’s nothing stealable inside bar the toilet rolls and the soap XD) Monicah tootles us to Pinelands plaza. Mother hadn’t any groceries she wanted us to buy from Coles, so Monicah just parks outside Pinelands Bakehouse, I head inside and buy a crunchy pork bahn mi from Aunty Lisa and hand her a Christmas card~

Back home, I shower and then sign Monicah off with my thanks and byes @ 2pm. When mother gets home from her Pilates class I ask for my bahn mi for lunch, but mother snaps no since you already had pizza at physio and that was your lunch?

Whatever. Instead, I pop online for the most important two hours of my day. After that was up, I used the toilet once and then sat at the gobbling :P table to read for one hour and wait for mother to wake from her long arvo nap and gimme my arvo tea. I was reading a fantasy novel by Kylie Chan; she’s Aussie but married a Hongkie and writes fantasy with Canto pinyin; very cool! Mother eventually tumbled downstairs from her long arvo nap and fed me some arvo tea; I was expecting the crunchy pork bahn mi I’d bought earlier that moorning with Monicah but she only cut me half, again citing the pizza I’d had for lunch as the reason why she wouldn’t gimme the whole thing now. Whatever, I replied; just make sure you gimme the other half back for dinner and don’t gobble it up yourself. Returning online, I happily watched the 6pm news bulletin for the 212^TH time before having the usual dinner with the  parents. ‘twas only after I’d drunk soup, taken my bowl to the sink and returned online did I remember I’d forgotten the second half of my bahn mi! I called out to mother could she please bring me it but annoyingly she still replied no. *sigh* Why the heck not?? I wondered then decided I’d not press the issue. However, after using the loo once more at 9pm, instead of returning online I walked back to the dining table, sat down in my chair and announced that I’m waiting for the second half of my bahn mi, thanks. Phew, dad gave it back to me!

The rest of the night was uneventful; at the piss-early time of 9:45pm, I obediently went and hit the sack. Zzz~

Christmas Day: what better way to begin CHRISTMAS than with another awesome night’s sleep? Not only that, for breakfast, apart from the usual bowl of healthy cereal, mother had baked fluffy chocolate cupcakes! Fair enough; surely CHRISTMAS Day deserves something special?? XD

Christmas Day means attending church. Usually, we join the one held by Redeemer Lutheran College but since BCAC was holding a Christmas service this year, obviously we’d attend our own one!

For some amazing reason, mother helped me buckle my seatbelt to and from church today! I think that was her Christmas present to me? Usually, she leaves me to buckle my own seatbelt unless I’m going in someone else’s car; she helps me buckle it then to show off to whoever’s watching what a ‘good’ mother she is. XD

Since we arrive very early for service, there’s no need to sit downstairs in the overflow room. After using the bathroom once, I grab the most left seat at the back. Mother sits beside me but I’m unsure where my dearest dad sat since he was a parking usher this morning and hadn’t come into the hall yet. Amazingly I’m allowed to stay seated for worship! Obviously, we only sing Christian Christmas carols (so I’m unsure why mother forbade me from singing any secular ones while she drove us to church this morning) but we sang a new one I’d not heard before, called When A Child Is Born!

After service, mother rushes off to collect some mango pudding that some random church aunty has made; when we’re leaving the service hall together, suddenly Aunty Doris approaches and gives mother  a  Christmas present for me!

Once back home, I visit the bathroom and then pop online briefly before I’m summoned for lunch. Lol, originally I was slightly disappointed since lunch was just the watery pack of pasta I’d bought with dearest dad at Coles the day before (think you’re supposed to add milk to the packet contents before boiling  stove; unsure why dad only added water) since I thought the Christmas meals were meant to be something special but suddenly mother cuts me a small lump of that delicious mango pudding that some church aunty made  and suddenly Christmas lunch becomes very special indeed!

Lunch over, I plop online for my most important two hours of the day for myself before heading over to the dining table to read for another hour and wait for mother to finish  her long afternoon nap upstairs, come downstairs and gimme some arvo tea.

After that, I took one of my four long showers of the year.

The rest of Christmas passes by uneventfully, we don’t even have anything special for dinner! XD I went to bed feeling disappointed; over dinner I’d asked dad where was he gonna take mother and I to the Boxing Day sales toms and he replied prolly Capalaba Park. The good thing about going there’s that I might bump into Mrs. Hoppie but the bad thing was that the parents obviously wouldn’t allow me to use Sparkless3 (my manual wheelchair) so I can kiss window-shopping goodbye. *sigh*

Boxing Day: I begin Boxing Day with my 9^th consecutive awesome sleep since I didn’t open my eyes until 5:50am. I’ve prolly said this already but the longer days are one of my most favourite things about the warmer months; during Winter, the Sun doesn’t rise until well after 6:30am!

After the usual morning routine (brush teeth, eat breakfast, etc.) dad tootles mother and I off to the Hyperdome for the Boxing Day sales and I rejoice because the parents lemme use Sparkless3 so I get to WINDOW SHOP! :D  

The Hyperdome’s barely recognisable; fair enough, next January will mark two DECADES since we moved out to Brisbane from Logan and small wonder that the place has been upgraded since we left at the beginning of 2005! Not only that, I’m pretty sure it’s had an extension, too!

Our first stop’s Big W and we all immediately buy sth! I grab a new book, dearest dad  buys himself a blanket and mother picks up … the thing that sits between the sink and the pipes and picks up all the food scraps that waah down; whatever that’s called?

I tell mother I’m hoping to find JayJays and she says she’ll keep an eye out for it. We’re just walking through the main aisle and looking around at each shop when suddenly mother excitedly *PATS ME ON THE HEAD*; even without her saying anything I know she’s found it! I head inside and take a tour of what’s inside and buy a Kirby tee! I’m a huge fan of Kirby; see, back in the days of the N64, whenever Fisobao and I bashed it out on her N64 playing Super Smash Brothers, Kirby was always my character of choice and since my  favourite colour’s blue I always turned him blue; indeed, my username for lotsa things during the 2000s was Bluekirby and the URL of the site you’re reading this post from’s actually embluekirby.blogspot.com! XD

We had lunch at the foodcourt; I was very happy to see a Red Rooster there! Would have loved a tropicana pack (forever grateful to Lams, Bee and Boris who brought me one for dinner when I was still imprisoned in the insane asylum XD) but dad only passed me a mutilated drumstick (he took one GINORMOUS chomp from it first) and only seven (not even ten ><) chips but mother was awesome and fed me two small mouthfuls of soupy udon that was much yummier than the udon we get from Underwood MarketPlace since it’s not spicy!

That was the day and dad tootled us home. After we arrived, I asked mother could I please shower yet but she replied no, I need to sleep first.

The rest of the day’s uneventful, I shower, pop online, read, eat arvo tea and dinner, but instead of getting myself off to bed @ 9:45pm like I’ve been ordered to I switch the computer off and then just play the HP version of Bejeweled until mother comes downstairs from whatever she’s doing and growls why haven’t you hit the sack yet before replying it’s time to open Christmas presents!! :D

I’m seated at the computer table and thought mother would just bring my presents over for me to open but she demanded I get up, walk over to the couch and sit down there to open them? No biggie. XD

I carefully unwrap one meticulously wrapped one before getting too excited and just tearing open the rest. XD I got some awesome presents this year; thank-you Santa!! :D

So ends the silly season for another year. I had one last Christmas party to attend on December the 27^th; did you know, mother nearly didn’t lemme wear my Christmas hat!! >< I had to PROMISE her I’d not wear it again until Christmas next year before she very reluctantly relented. Somehow, she believes I’ll grow nits if I keep my other-wise empty head under a warm covering? I’m unsure if that’s even possible; do head lice really just pop into existence from nothing in a hot environment?? XD

Anyways, I had a lovely Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day; already looking forward to it coming back next year!

Next post here: well, considering it’s NYE toms, obviously you’ll hear from me again toms night with all my reflections for 2024!

Until then~

XMas Greetings 2024

 

Heylo, one and all! Look, it’s already December: where has 2024 flown?? Well, time flies when you’re having fun; heck, time flies even when you’re not having fun!

Me, I’m a fan of having fun. I tried to start having fun on the second day of the year by going to see a movie! While the carer wiped and dried the toilet seat for my usage, I tried to speed up the process by pulling my pants down. Suddenly, I lost balance? My right arm made a wild grab for the handrail attached to the wall but I was outta reach and just fell backwards. I remembered to lean forwards as I was going down, but backward momentum meant my head went backwards too and after my bum hit the ground, my head contacted the ground next with an audible bok! That alerted my carer and she ran towards me, screeching “Em!! Are you alright??” From the ground, I replied, Um, sorry? Whoops I lost balance and fell backwards.”

Luckily, I hadn’t hurt myself, so I just bum-shuffled back to the handrail, hauled myself back upright and used the toilet. After watching the movie, as my carer was driving me home, I asked her could you please not tell mother? Coz if she finds out she’ll bite my head off (thankfully not literally XD) and you’ll haveta write an incident report but I don’t wanna create more work for you since I was such an ass. But my carer was a good girl (she’s only one year older than me) and said nah, I’d better let your mother know what happened. In that case, I decided I’d better e-mail Michelle (my case co-ordinator at CODA; they employ carers who look after me) and let her know what happened too and I felt very touched when the very next day, Michelle rang mother just to check that I’d pulled up alright! Aww, I am a valued client after all! XD

 

I’m unsure how it is for able-bodied people but for me, there’s never any moment of, oh sh*t I’m losing balance I’m gonna fall but rather it happens like instantaneously: one second, I’m up, and the next second I’m already on the floor! One night the parents had invited a church couple over for dinner at our place; after dinner, I’d excused myself and returned online when nature suddenly called. Since mother only walks behind me to keep me safe when there are other people around to see what a ‘good’ mum she is I didn’t bother telling her that I needed the bathroom but just got up myself and started heading for the toilet. Suddenly, I somehow trip over nothing and – plop! – in the next second I’m suddenly already down on the floor! I’d barely registered that I’d fallen when either parents’ voice comes from the dining table, summoning me to come back and eat fruit/eat dessert/drink tea! It just so happened that the church couple over at our place for dinner that night were both physios and I could hardly call back um, I’ve just fallen over; would you please ask Aunty Yvonne/Uncle Stephen to pull me back upright now could I?? Grateful to belong to a Toastmasters club that has taught me voice projection; I tilted my head back, pitched my voice back near the dining room and replied yeah I’m coming but I need to use the bathroom first so you guys please start first and I’ll come join you guys once I’m done in the loo, okay? Thankful for the abundant practice I get from the UQ NAB physio clinic on how to get up from the floor, I go from sitting on my bum to four-point kneeling, from four-point-kneeling to two-point kneeling, then from two-point-kneeling to one-point kneeling and then I shove myself back upright! My right arm immediately grabs the backrest of the chair I’d just vacated and I steady myself. Phew, I didn’t fall back down again!

Unfortunately, idiot me has totally stacked it thrice this year; the third time, I was in the bathroom at home. Having done my business, I’d stood up and turned around to flush the toilet when suddenly, plop! I’m already on the floor again! Grateful that I’d remembered to close the bathroom door so mother wouldn’t see me as she brought groceries from the car back into the house but what if she suddenly opened the door and found me on the floor?? Immediately I haul myself back upright using the same method that I’d just detailed to everyone for my second fall and then just exited the bathroom like nothing had happened.

But enough about useless me clumsily stacking it, what about the rest of the year??

Everyone who knows me should be aware of the complete obsession I’ve got with the stupid little Minions of the Despicable Me franchise. I mean, they’re yellow, small, jellybean-shaped and so hopelessly STUPID; what’s there not to love about them?? The first Despicable Me movie premiered back in 2010; following that, there’s been Despicable Me 2, Minions, Despicable Me 3 and Minions 2. I’d thought after that the franchise had finished since all good things must come to an end but you can imagine my total excitement when I was alerted to Despicable Me 4 coming out!

In the first movie, Gru (the lead character), gets his three girls. In the second movie, Gru gets a wife and for the third movie, his brother makes an appearance. But for the 4^th movie, Gru gets a baby boy! Only Junior (just curious: are people who get named Junior promoted to the name Senior when they’re older?) doesn’t like his dad; whenever Gru  tries to interact with his son by picking him up/playing with him, Junior either cries/pees/yells/poos/whatever (Oh: SPOILER ALERT for  Despicable Me 4: if you don’t know the ending and don’t want me to spoil it for you, kindly skip to the next paragraph please). Only at the climax of the movie, when some baddie’s trying to kidnap Junior, Gru’s fighting for his life and about to lose! He’s hanging on with both hands to some rail; once the baddie comes down and tears his hands off, he’s gonna plummet to his death with Junior in a baby carrier on his back! Gru turns to Junior and says calmly to the baby, “It’s gonna be okay. Dada loves you.” I go “aww!” but the baby goes APESH*T and saves the day! When I enthusiastically share about this at the next Toastmasters meeting after seeing the movie, I immediately apologise after dropping the profanity but had a good laugh when the evaluator for my speech said Emily swore ‘appropriately’. Thinking that meant permission to continue saying naughty words, I cheekily tried dropping another four-letter word for my next speech but this time get told off for using offensive language. XD

Ever since suffering my brain injury back in 2007, mother has been on at me about how old I am, but whenever I try telling her that she’s older, she’ll just snap back “Age is relative.” Huh, go figure! During the Winter months, she’ll often send my carer and I for a hike around Underwood Lake. There’s several sunlounges nearing the end of the hike around the lake there that I enjoy having a lie-down in. One Winter’s morning my carer and I are relaxing on a sunlounge each when two boys around high-school age strolled past in thongs and shorts. When I call out a cheery good morning to them, the taller one nods very politely at me before answering extremely respectfully, “Good morning, aunty.” Sure, I’ve been Aunty Em to kids like C1, C2, N1, N2 and N for a few years now but mostly I’m just referred to as Emily jie jie and that was the first time I’d been officially branded with the aunty category!

I managed to hold it in until the boys had wandered outta earshot before doubling over with laughter and howling with amusement to my carer, telling her that she’d better start treating me with more respect now, since I was officially an AUNTY! XD[WH1] 

Two DECADES ago (2004), I was with a friend bumming around on the computer and surfing the net. Opening the Gmail page, I asked my friend could she please gimme any interesting adjectives that described me? I’m trying to come up with a cool e-mail address, see … My friend replied, “I dunno, Em. You’re kinda indescribable.” I laugh and reply, “Perfect! Indescribable@gmail.com I’ll be!” Having used that e-mail address for twenty YEARS I decided ‘twas time for a new one, so starting from halfway through the year my primary e-mail address became Emmorgenmuffel@gmail.com. I’m Em and morgenmuffel’s a German phrase! Morgen means morning and muffle means kinda like grouch; I’m definitely not a morning person and I HATES the cold; in fact, a friend once described me as being rather dull and unresponsive during Winter! For instance, should you go “Hi Em; how are you?” I’d probably just respond “Cold.” XD

One more story for 2024: this year, I attended my high school’s TWENTY-YEAR reunion and ‘twas such a joy to catchup with so many familiar faces! For some reason, instead of holding separate one, five, ten, twenty and thirty-year school reunions for each grade, Canterbury College booked out like the entire storey of some fancy place and held a massive joint reunion! Not only was attendance free but there was even free food and a free bar tab! After I’d grabbed myself a skewer of sth I’d wheeled around trying to find some year mates to catchup with when suddenly a girl (I’m guessing she was a ten-year graduate?) beckoned me to join them! I wheeled myself over to them and introduced myself, saying hi, I’m Emily; class of 2004 when suddenly one girl squeals ooh I remember you; I saw you at the school assembly a couple of years ago and you made the entire hall laugh! Lol, I’m amazed that she’d remembered me; what I’d actually shared was the more violent version of when life gives you lemons make lemonade: when life gives you lemons, freeze them, and then THROW them as HARD as you can at the HEAD of the people who’d made life difficult for you! That’s garnered several chuckles, which dissolved into full audience laughter once I’d sheepishly raised my hand and apologised to Mr. Wacker, clarifying that I wasn’t promoting school violence or anything … XD

But there’s only one fortnight until Christmas! Please allow me to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous 2025! May whatever you’re doing currently continue to fare well and all the best with whatever new undertakings you’ll begin in 2025! I’m hoping to catchup with as many people as possible but with the parents (mostly mother) trying so desperately to keep me socially isolated by forbidding me to ask anyone are they free together for a meal to celebrate Christmas, you’re gonna haveta contact me first; don’t fail me!!

Cheers,

Em. ^^

 

---

 [WH1]

XMas Wishlist 2024

Wow, Santa: it’s been like one whole YEAR since I last contacted you; have you had a good rest during 2024 and are you ready for another epic present delivery this year? I sure hope so, since you’ve actually been ignoring me pretty badly these past several years and I’m feeling rather unloved! I’ve tried my best to be good this year (whether/not I’ve actually succeeded’s another story entirely XD) so you’d better get your act together and bring me lotsa presents! Here’s what I’m after:

(1)               Books – I’ve been a massive bookworm since learning how to read when I was four; it matters not how shamefully slowly I read now post brain injury since I’ve always loved reading and I’ll be damned before I let the cruel and unfaithful God take away my love of reading too because in His infinite cruelty, hasn’t He taken away enough already??!! >< My favourite genres are fantasy, science fiction (I’m a Trekkie! ^^) and historical fiction (currently I’m loving Philippa Gregory books), but I’m willing to give anything bar Mills and Boon a try. XD Oh, no Stephen King either, thanks. I’m a wimp, sorry… ><” XD

(2)               Teddy – all my teddies are named (although I’ll sheepishly confess to having one bear named John Doe and another named John Doe2 XD) and yes, all are loved. I’m particularly interested in getting different/exotic teddies; I’ve heard of DRAGON plushies and during the recent Black Friday sales I wanted to buy a CARTON OF MILK plushie, only he was way too expensive! Always after additions to my teddy family~

(3)               Pet – yes, poor Silver and Bronze passed away halfway through 2008 because I was unaware that goldfish are so pathetic they need a heater in their fishtank to keep them warm during Winter lest they freeze to death and I will forever be horribly guilty of their manslaughter but since they’ve been gone for more than 1.5 DECADES might I please be trusted with a live pet again?? If not, then Luke Mac Court, I’m still waiting for my pet rock from you! When you first told me about them many years ago I thought you were just pulling my leg but when I got home and Googled  ‘pet rocks’ I discovered webpages worth describing them; like, you can’t give them food/water like live pets but you can give them things like different textures to rest on! Luke, your dad did inform me that you’d at least made a start on my pet rock and painted it yellow (Minion themed; <3 the Minions!) and I understand you’re busy being a dad and all but will I EVER receive my pet rock??!! XD

(4)               Kit Kat Breakfast Cereal – my favourite unhealthy breakfast cereal’s Frosties and usually I’ll ask for a box whenever I’m composing a wishlist since I believe that every wishlist requires at least one food item but when I was grocery shopping earlier this year I saw a box of KIT KAT BREAKFAST CEREAL so somebody please get me a box; CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST surely can’t be wrong!! :D XD

(5)               Outdoors Electric Wheelchair – I need one before I can return to Hong Kong to visit all my beloved family and awesome friends since mother and I lived with her younger sister when I was last in HK and my poor dad hurt his back pushing me uphill because she lives at the top of a very steep hill but I’m not physically strong enough to wheel myself uphill with only one functioning arm.  (Such a long sentence must mean incorrect sentence structure somewhere, I’m guessing? XD) My former year eleven high school maths teacher did offer me the one his wife used to use but apparently even with that mother still claims that it’s too much for her back to haveta bend down and help me with the shoelaces … *sigh* What I’d give to return to Hong Kong … *wistful* Someone/somebodies please help; nearly more than *anything* I wanna be with all my beloved family and awesome friends again …

(6)               Boxing Day Sales – for a Christmas wishlist, may I ask please ask for a ride and not a thing? See, I’m hoping someone will stick Sparkless3 (my manual wheelchair) into their car boot and take me to the Boxing Day sales somewhere! I really miss getting to window-shop nowadays …

(7)               Minions – Ever since the Despicable Me franchise started in like 2012, I’ve been totally besotted with the yellow, jellybean-shaped, totally inept and oh-so-stupid Minions; even the youngest littlelies attending BCAC knows that Aunty Em loves the Minions! Am always after more, regardless of size, shape or form. BA-NA-NA!! XD Since Despicable Me4 premiered this year, I’m hoping that it’ll not be the end of the franchise and will be followed by Minions3 next … fingers crossed!

Hmm, only seven things I’m after but I already can’t think of anymore! Suppose I’m not overly-materialistic, then? Guess I prefer catching up with people over a meal more than getting an actual object. The only problem with that being I’ve got parents (especially mother) who tries so *desperately* to keep me socially isolated, even though she’ll say it’s dad who said I’m not allowed to ask anyone are they free to catchup over a meal. The only way I can see around this is if you ask me first. Like, after I send out my Xmas Greetings on the 11^th (haven’t penned them yet XD), how about you contact me and say sth like, haven’t seen you all year; let’s do breakfast/lunch/arvo tea/whatever together!

Oh, and as always, I reserve the right to add to this wishlist should I come across any other items that catch my fancy … XD

Next post here: well, if I’m organised, hopefully I’ll get my review of Gladiator2 up, but if I’m not, you’ll not here from me again until I compose my Xmas Greetings; it’s due out come the 11^th!

But for now: go and secure me Christmas presents! XD

Until then~

Cheers,

Em. ^^ 

Despicable Me 4

 Only after watching Gladiator 2 last Friday (or the Friday before that XD) and saying I’d haveta write a movie review blog post about it did I realise I’d not even penned (well, typed XD) one for Despicable Me 4 yet!

Seeing as the franchise premiered back in 2012 with Despicable Me, I honestly thought that it’d ended with Minions 2 after Despicable Me 3, because all good things must come to an end. You can imagine my total excitement when I was alerted to the fact that there’d be a Despicable Me 4 and the friend who’d taken me to see Minions and Minions2 in GOLD CLASS immediately contacted me to alert me of the release and also that she’d be taking me to see this 4^th instalment in gold class, too!! :D We saw the movie @ Westfield Garbo; I’m unsure where else offers Gold Class (I’m guessing Westfield Carindale?) but I know Sunnybank Hoyts doesn’t.

Here are all my favourite quotes, trivia and bloopers courtesy of IMDB: Beware: SPOILER ALERT:

Trivia first!

·         The name of Gru's alma mater is Lycee Pas Bon. Translating from French to English, the name is High School- No Good. (A/N: I just attended my 20^TH year high school graduation @ the beginning of the month! Canterbury College has a much nicer name than Gru’s school. XD)

·         When Gru and his family break into the castle, the plaque on the desk reads Principal Übel Schlecht. This translates literally as "Principal Bad Bad". (The principle at Canterbury College still remembers my name, even though I’d only met him once! At the school reunion, sheets were printed with every attendee’s name and which year they graduated but mine was missing; Mr. Walker just got a marker and immediately wrote Emily Chan Class Of 2004 for me! ^^ I’m surprised he even remembered my name, since I’ve only met him once briefly before and he wasn’t the head back when I was attending Canterbury!)

·         Costing $100 million, this is the most expensive film in the franchise. It is also the most expensive Illumination film, tied with The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). (A/N: I saw the Super Mario Brothers movie with my dearest dad; we’d owned a SNES and I grew up playing Super Mario!)

Goofs come next! XD

·         When Gru is taking the girls to school for the first time after moving house, the Minions attach the baby capsule to the center rear seat of the van. Then after they arrive at the school the baby seat appears on the rear right seat. (A/N: Seriously, who even notices nitpicky things like this?? XD)

·          One of the Alumni villain's wearing a luchador mask, is seen on the dance floor facing the doors when they first open, but is then standing facing the stage, off the dance floor, when the doors close. (A/N: Including this coz it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of luchador masks before!)

·         The vending machine that Ralph gets stuck in contains snack food and soft drinks, but soft drinks are never in snack food vending machines because they aren't refrigerated. (A/N: Since when did soft drinks need refrigeration? They won’t go off like milk does, would they? I wouldn’t know, since I really WAS dropped on my head as a baby, am strange and don’t like fizzy drinks! XD)

·         While she does not speak, Gru's mother has a cameo at the end of the film. (A/N: Does Grus’s mum get named for the movie?

·         Gru's car number plate is the release date of the first Despicable Me (2010) movie, 09/07/10. The DM probably stands for Despicable Me.

·         Characters from the film appeared in a commercial for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. (A/N: I found the clip over YouTube; <3 the Minions!)

·         At the end of the 3rd movie, Agnes referred to Lucy as Mom. In this movie, she was still referring to her as Mom. (A/N: Why can’t kids call their stepmum mum?)

·         Near the end of the movie, all the villains from Despicable Me (2010), Despicable Me 2 (2013) and Despicable Me 3 (2017), as well as Minions (2015) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) can be seen as inmates in the AVL prison.

·         Elastic Minion saves a train just like Tobey Maguire did in Spider-Man 2 (2004), with some comedic effects. (A/N: See? Minions rock; <3 the Minions!!

·         Gru's brother Dru makes a cameo at the ending of the movie. (A/N: Wasn’t that was Despicable Me3 was about?)

·         The Mega Minions are Dave (super strength), Gus (flying minion with blue cape and banana-head), Tim (taller of the group with ability to stretch), Mel (laser eye), and Jerry (rock stone body with ability to eat everything) (A/N: Pity that the Mega Minions are as completely useless as the original Minions! XD)
Goofs next!:

• Gru: Don't think of it as lying. Think of it as high stakes pretending.
• Agnes: Well, I'm not going to.
• Gru: Ah, just a little white lie.
• Agnes: Nope!
• Gru: Agnes! As your father, I command you to lie.
• Agnes: No!
• Gru: Yes! Lie!
• Agnes: Mm-mm.
• Gru: You are walking on thin ice, little lady.
• [Agnes groans as she bangs her fork and spoon on the table. Gru Jr. grabs the piece of bacon from the fork and eats it.]
• Gru: Why can't you be more like your sister, Edith? She lies all the time.
• Edith: No I don't.
• Gru: See? See? She's lying right now. Beautifully, I might add. (A/N: High-stakes pretending; I love it! Tempted to give that a go … XD)

 

• Gru: They got so many different kinds of milk. Almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, goat milk, chocolate milk, half and half, powdered, and of magnesia.
• Lucy: What about regular milk?
• Gru: Oh no, they don't make it anymore. (A/N: Since I like live on milk, must find out: what’s half and half milk? What’s milk of magnesia?
• When Poppy is flying away from Maxime's ship, the noise that Principal Übelschlecht's cart makes is that of a propeller aircraft, although the cart is powered by a jet engine. (A/N:  Since I’m not an engineer, I wouldn’t have a clue what engines make what noise. XD)
• The vending machine that Ralph gets stuck in contains snack food and soft drinks, but soft drinks are never in snack food vending machines because they aren't refrigerated. (A/N: I learnt sth new today! I never knew soft drinks are never inside snack food vending machines since I really WAS dropped on my head as a baby and don’t like soft drinks! XD)
• In the 3rd movie, Gru started to get along with Dru when he met him. But in this movie, Silas Ramsbottom said that his family can't find out about his whereabouts. When that happened, Gru was happy about it because he wasn't going to see Dru for a while. But since he was getting along with Dru in the 3rd movie, he should've been disappointed that he wasn't going to see him.
  And finally, quotes!

·      Gru: Don't think of it as lying. Think of it as high stakes pretending.

·      Agnes: Well, I'm not going to.

·      Gru: Ah, just a little white lie.

·      Agnes: Nope!

·      Gru: Agnes! As your father, I command you to lie.

·      Agnes: No!

·      Gru: Yes! Lie!

·      Agnes: Mm-mm.

·      Gru: You are walking on thin ice, little lady.

·      [Agnes groans as she bangs her fork and spoon on the table. Gru Jr. grabs the piece of bacon from the fork and eats it.]

·      Gru: Why can't you be more like your sister, Edith? She lies all the time.

·      Edith: No I don't.

·      Gru: See? See? She's lying right now. Beautifully, I might add. (A/N: I love it! High-stakes pretending; I’ve gotta try that!  XD)

• Agnes: Lucky, sit!
• [Lucky poops.]
• Agnes: I said sit! (A/N: Err, don’t you sit to poop? XD)

Throughout the movie, you can see that Junior doesn’t really like his dad Gru. Whenever Gru tries to interact with his baby boy, Junior either cries/pees/yells/poos/whatever. But, at the climax of the movie, when Gru’s having some epic fight with the baddie, Junior’s strapped into a baby carrier attached to Gru’s back. Can’t believe he didn’t fall out, considering how Gru was getting pummelled and vaulting everywhere in this fight. At some point, Gru’s holding on with both hands to some pole; once the baddie comes down and tears his hands off, Gru’s gonna fall to his death, with Junior still buckled in with him. At this point, Gru turns to Junior and says soothingly, “It’s gonna be okay. Dada loves you.” I go aww!  But Junior goes APESH*T and saves the day! When I enthusiastically recounted this in  an impromptu speech at the next  Toastmasters meeting I attended, I immediately apologise afterwards for using profanity during a speech, but afterwards I had a good laugh when Neil (our President at the time) evaluated my speech and said that Emily ‘swore appropriately’! Taking that as permission to continue saying naughty words, I cheekily dropped another swearword during my next impromptu speech but this time, got told off for using inappropriate language. XD

Mostly, I’m just hoping that the release of Despicable Me4 will be followed with Minions3, meaning that my obsession with those adorable yellow, jellybean-shaped little idiots needn’t die! XD

Next post here … since December begins this Sunday, I’ll haveta create my Xmas wishlist for Santa but I really need to write a movie review for Gladiator2 first!

Cheers~