XMas Greetings 2025

Greetings, everyone! Just like that, this new decade’s not new anymore: wow, we’re already halfway through it! Hope you and your family have had an awesome 2025?

Last year, I was the absolute idiot who’d already totally stacked it on the second day on of the year but this year, I lasted until mid-late January before falling flat on my butt for the first time in 2025; may I call that an improvement? XD

While it’s the left side of my  body that’s been  affected post brain injury  and stroke (left leg must wear an orthotic if I am to walk without pain but I still ambulate with a disabled gait, while my left arm doesn’t do much functionally so thank goodness I  was originally born right-handed) it’s my right EYEBROW that doesn’t move (so I look like a Vulcan when only my left eyebrow goes up and down XD) and my right EYELID that doesn’t fully shut hence why I wear eye gel during the day  and eye ointment during the night to keep it lubricated.  Usually, mother squirts the eye goo into my eyes after I obediently hit the sack at the piss-early time of 9:45pm but this year, more often than not, mother will come hit me with the eye goo around 9pm and go to bed first herself, ordering that I do the same at 9:45pm. That’s fine; I’m perfectly capable of going to pour myself half a mouthful of milk before bed, brush teeth and sit over the loo myself without any assistance whatsoever from mother before hitting the sack. 

That night, after I’d entered my bedroom and turned the light switch off, I’d grabbed the back of my commode chair and then the  bedside rail some Home Modifications guy had installed for me on the wall when I’d initially been discharged from the insane asylum (more commonly known to everyone else as the Brain Injuries Rehabilitation Unit  of the Princess Alexandra hospital  XD) before pivoting around to my bed and sitting down. Only I didn’t sit far back enough - in the next instant, plop! My bum slid off the bed and I was on the floor! Luckily, fat butt good cushioning XD; I didn’t hurt myself but what the heck was I gonna do now, screech upstairs help mum I’ve slid off the bed please come pull me back up? Obviously not! 

I scrambled around, pushed myself back into bed and thought I’d done well enough to not let mother find out, but whoops in my haste to climb back into bed I’d banged bruises all up and down my legs and obviously mother saw those! Usually, I sprout out with random bruises since I’m a messy sleeper who apparently flails against the bedroom wall and bash myself bruises; one year a carer saw all the bruises down my legs and asked me, “What, did you have a fight with your mum or something?” I’d laughed and replied, “If I did, then obviously I lost: check out those bruises!” We’d both cracked up, before I’d assured her that they were accidentally self-inflicted and nothing to worry about. XD

 

You know how Brisbane has tourist attractions like Dream World, Movie World and Sea World? Well, in Singapore this year they opened a MINIONS world and after I heard about it, I told everyone, “If you’re going to Singapore, please stick me in your luggage and take me too – I’ve GOTTA go to Minion Land!!” I believe everyone who knows me even slightly will be aware of my complete obsession with those yellow, jellybean-shaped, stupidly hopeless henchmen from the Despicable Me series?  XD

One night when I was already in bed waiting to fall asleep with my teddy, I heard my dearest dad having a Facetime conversation with his older brother saying “Yeah, we’re taking a short trip to Singapore soon” and hope ignited!

Several days later, when I was seeing my long-lost cousin (my surname’s ChAn and his surname’s ChEn; surely bazillions of years ago our cousins were siblings? XD) for some acupuncture and massage, after mother excuses herself into the bathroom Ray says to me, “So, I hear you’re going for a trip to Singapore soon?”

“MINIONLAND!!” I squeal back excitedly. Back in the car after treatment, mother confirms this for me, but then immediately emphasises to me that this will be the final overseas holiday she ever takes me on, since it’s too much bother for her to help me out with personal care.  Shame: I’ve tried researching supported holidays before but don’t have enough funding for one and I’m unsure how you’d go about applying for more?

But visiting Singapore for the first time in two DECADES (we first visited in 2005 just after I’d graduated high school) was AMAZEBALLS and visiting MINION LAND was the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!! Mother lemme buy a minion plushie with fairy floss hair as my souvenir from there; when I brought FairFloMin to a Toastmasters meeting to show him off to all the other members, Neil (our current club president) was cheeky and pretended to give poor FairFloMin a HUGE LICK!  “Eww!” I screeched; the next day, my carer was a champion who wiped him down for me with an antibacterial wet wipe and thus saved him from the contamination of Neil germs. XD

Remaining on the topic of Minions, this year I hit the Ekka for an afternoon and night and returned home with a GIANT Minion - he’s 87cm big!

I saw the huge Minion along the prize rack of some game and asked the game attendant, “May I win him? What do I need to do after giving you my cash?”

The guy demonstrated. There was a bottle lying on its side. With a ring attached to a piece of string on a stick, you had to hook the ring around the neck of the bottle, draw the bottle upright and release the ring without the bottle tipping over. The game attendant demonstrated once and made it look easy! I paid for three goes. My first attempt was dismal failure:  the bottle stood straight up, but once I released the ring from the bottle neck, it went straight back down. Hm, no good! For my second attempt, the bottle wavered upright for three seconds before falling back down flat. Hey, I’m sitting right now and can concentrate. I told myself.  I’ve got this; if I can make the bottle stay upright for my last go for five seconds, I’ll win! Very slowly, I draw the bottle upright and release the ring. The bottle stays upright for one second. For two seconds. For three seconds! For four seconds! For four and a half seconds! But then, on the fifth and final second, it gives up the ghost and falls back down fat. Defeat. >< “Oh no,” I wailed. “I   failed!”

But the game attendant catches my gaze.  “Hey, you know what?” He says.  “I can see how much  you love the Minions and I can also see how hard you tried, so  I’m going to give it you anyway!”

“You’re the BEST!!” I   screech. For the rest of   the day, my poor carer had to push the wheelchair for me, since once that enormous Minion was on my lap, I couldn’t reach   around him to the wheel When we rolled me past his game stall later again that day, the guy was still  @ work and when I yelled “Hey!” at him, he looked up,  saw me holding the massive Minion on my wheelchair, flashed me the thumbs up and called back “Cool Minion!” my only response?  “THANK-YOU SO MUCH!!” :D

 This year, Queensland NEEDED to win the Origin, since our poor captain’s dad had suddenly passed away the previous Sunday but after immediately leaving camp to be with his family, he’d returned on Wednesday to lead the team out. Watching the game live from the couch I’d been terrified that the Blues would somehow snatch the victory from us brave Maroons but our lads were heroic and held on for the win; fingers crossed that’s a positive omen that Queensland have started another (at least!) eight-year winning streak!

And GLORY: for the first time since 2006 (nearly two DECADES ago!) the Brisbane Broncos won the NRL premiership!! The last time Brisbane hefted the premiership trophy was the year before the cruel and unfaithful God totally and wantonly destroyed my life with the brain injury and I’d been so GRUMPY with idiot Ben Hunt in 2012 when he’d dropped the ball from the restart and thus cost us the grand final (even though a church uncle very knowledgeable about the game had explained to me that the fault actually lay with the player in the previous play)  but Hunty hung around and secured the final redemption by winning the 2025 NRL premiership; I hope he and Adam Reynolds retire immediately and will be remembered as champions!

The day after the NRL grand final was a public holiday and originally my dearest dad had planned to take mother and I out to the city, hence why I was allowed to use Sparkless3 (my manual wheelchair). After boarding the bus, a girl sitting in the priority seating up the front (since her leg was casted up to the thigh) immediately waved me over to sit beside her. I was wearing my Broncos jersey to celebrate Brisbane’s mighty premiership win and since she was wearing a Broncos jersey too, complimented her on how awesome her jersey was.  “Likewise!” She cheerfully replied.  “Are you heading out to   their fan day like us, too?”

What fan day?? I’d not heard anything about it!  Her dad immediately whipped out his smartphone and showed the event to my dearest dad, my dad quickly located the same event on his mobile and voila, immediate plan change!

As we disembarked the bus the heavily casted girl and I bid each other bye and maybe cya at Suncorp Stadium and then we made our way inside!

Turns out one whole side of the stadium had been open to fans and not only was the PREMIER David Crisafulli present to give a little speech, afterwards, the grounds were opened to everyone!  When people started streaming down into the field, I told the parents that I wanted to head out too; sure enough, a short while late some usher approached us and asked would you like to go down?!

Down in the field we all took happy snaps together and I wanted to wheel over to  where a stage had been setup for the players to come out and get a Bronco to autograph my jersey for me, but the parents said don’t;  it’s too far away and we can just watch them on the big screens since we’ve gotta leave soon and open the door for the carer who’s coming at 4pm. Fair  enough, I watched the big screens and cheered loudly for the mighty Broncos; fingers crossed we’ll successfully defend the title again next year and hopefully  I’ll not haveta wait another nineteen years before we’re the premiership champions again because cripes, I’ll  be nearing SIXTY by then! (Fifty-seven. XD)

One more story for 2025: for the first time since 2012, I wheeled the Bridge To Brisbane! Mr. Hall, my teacher (for year ten high school maths) who first invited me to do it with him and a bunch of other maths teachers thirteen years ago has since moved up into heaven but last year at my twenty-year high school reunion I bumped into one of the teachers I’d done it with and Mr. Ilsley had said let’s do it together again next year!  Back in 2012 we’d done the 10km course but this year we only did the 5km course since Mr.  Ilsley’s in his seventies now. While travelling along the course, I saw some female doing the course using a rollator! She’d walk some and when she needed a rest, she’d put her legs up onto the rollator’s frame and the person accompanying her simply rolled her along! Back doing another session of blasted physio the next week (at time of typing this letter I’ve still got one more session to endure before finally getting a very short break over Christmas and New Year) I’d asked my physio, do you think I’d be capable of tackling the 5km using a rollator too? Like, walk some and then rest some? She’d replied I’m unsure can your affected hand handle a rollator but you should stick with what you know. Currently you are walking with a hiking pole; how about you walk 1km, sit 1km and repeat that for the 5km? She then immediately offered to accompany me to do it, saying I’d need to find someone to help me push my manual wheelchair along while I was walking. I immediately started enquiring around and a Toastmasters friend said she was willing to help push my wheelchair for me while I walked! Mother warns I’ll need training to be able to walk such a distance and I’ve said that I’m willing: once 2026 arrives I’m gonna start preparing for the event come September!

Huge apologies:  usually I send out these greetings come the 11^th, giving you one fortnight’s time to read and reply but yesterday I was busy attending Christmas parties; they’re one of my most favourite things about Christmas! Still, please allow me to wish you and your family a very Merry   Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year; please remember to contact me for a meal catchup/whatever so we can celebrate 2025 together since I’ve got odd parents who usually don’t lemme contact ANYONE and ask are they free for a get-together? Hope you’ve achieved everything in 2025 that you set out to and may your 2026 be overflowing with many awesome things!  Looking forward to   staying in touch with everyone next year~

XMas Wishlist 2025

Heylo, Santa! It’s been nearly one whole year since you last heard from me; hope you’ve had a solid yearlong rest from your epic Christmas present delivery last year and am/are all ready to go again! Unsure why last year you only left me *two* presents under the Christmas tree (I already reminded dad back in November last month to  please setup the  Christmas tree by Dec. 1^st since I needed to decorate it; unsure what’s he’s been busy  with and still hasn’t unpacked it from the garage yet but I’ll  keep pestering him to!) but seriously, would three/even five presents be too greedy for me to ask for? Like, I’m not like the spoilt brat Dudley Dursley was who threatened to throw some epic tantrum until he got like thirty-eight presents for his birthday but come on, Santa; get your act together! XD Here's what I’m hoping you’ll bring me this year:

(1)               Books – books will always be the first thing I ask for in any wishlist. I’ve been an avid reader ever since I learnt how to read and will happily spend a few hours with my nose buried in a book if given the chance. It matters not how shamefully and pathetically slowly I read post brain injury; the cruel and unfaithful God has taken away so much from me already and I’ll be damned before I’ll let Him take away my love of reading, too! >< My favourite genres are fantasy, science fiction and historical fiction but I’m willing to give anything aside from Mills And Boon a crack. XD Oh, it’s been just over a quarter-CENTURY since I graduated from primary school (1999) but one series of books I really loved reading was the Black Stallion series by Walter Farley! Could someone please get that for me to reread??

(2)               Teddy - another item that features in both my wishlists every year. Every teddy I have is loved and all are named, even though I will sheepishly admit to having one teddy called John Doe and another called John Doe2 since I can’t remember who I got them from! XD Bears are the quintessential teddy but I also love collecting unique ones; for instance, the teddy that currently keeps me company in bed every night is a BUBBLE TEA plushie! Squishmallows are cool too~ Actually, could someone please teach me what Squishmallows are called in Canto?

(3)               Pet – yes, I’m forever guilty of the manslaughter of poor Silver and Bronze; I honestly was ignorant of the fact that goldfish are so pathetic that they need a heater in their tank to keep their water warm enough for existence lest they   freeze to death! But they went to heaven all the way back in 2008 and come 2025, surely, I can be trusted with two more goldfish again? Just make sure their fishtank comes with a heater, please! Other than that: Luke MacCourt, I’m still WAITING for my PET ROCK! When you first told me about them years ago, I thought you were pulling my leg but when I went home and randomly Googled ‘pet rocks’ I actually found several WEBPAGES devoted to them! Like, you don’t need to give them food/water like you would with live pets but you can give them stuff like different textures to rest on! Luke, I know you’re really busy being a dad and all that and Liam, I’m not sure why you told me to let the matter drop, since I’m still after a pet for Christmas so hurry up and get your act together, lads!! XD

(4)               Minions – surely everyone who knows me only slightly will be aware of my complete obsession with these small, yellow, jellybean-shaped dumbarsed creatures but I honestly can’t get enough of them; even all the littlies from BCAC (my home church) no, the entire church congregation’s prolly aware of my besotted infatuation with them, so more Minions for Christmas please! BA-NA-NA!!! :D

(5)               Frosties – it’s my belief that every wishlist requires at least one food item. Sticking with my favourite box of unhealthy cereal here: someone please bring me a big box of Frosties! Mother only gives me healthy cereals like All-Bran, Special K and Weet-Bix but I need some way to achieve my sugar high! XD Anything with chocolate also can’t be wrong! Please just remember that I   have a nut allergy and will EXPLODE upon any consumption of nuts (well, thankfully the exploding part’s an   exaggeration but the nut allergy’s real >< XD)

(6)               Bubble Wrap – usually I like saying since small things (jewels) amuse small minds (me XD) I have always loved playing Bejewelled. Another small thing I like’s bubble wrap; will someone please bring me a big sheet so I can just sit one afternoon and happily pop away?? Better yet, wrap me some fragile, expensive present inside sheets of bubble wrap; that way, I’ll get to enjoy both the present and the bubble wrap! XD

Lol I’ve only asked for six things but have already run outta things I’m hoping you’ll bring me, Santa! XD Perhaps hopefully that makes me not too overly materialistic?  Well, I reserve the right to add to this wishlist as December continues! Actually more than actual presents (things) I’d much rather catchup with people over a meal (the way to my heart’s through my stomach;  feed me and I’ll love you forever XD) but for some strange reason I have odd parents (especially mother) who try their hardest to keep me socially isolated by denying me permission to contact anyone and seeing are they free for a meal together to celebrate Christmas? In that case, the onus is on you, dear reader: please contact me (Facebook Messenger’s prolly the easiest way to reach me since I rarely get mobile access unless I’m out) and say sth like haven’t caught up this year; let’s do lunch/dinner/whatever together!

Clear as mud? XD Everyone disperse and get me multiple Christmas presents!

Cheers,

Em.  ^^

P.S. Next post here … prolly my Xmas Greetings, although I really need to get a post out about how it’s been fifteen years since my most beloved maternal grandmother went up to heaven to live with God forever; anyhow, until then~ 

Birthday Celebrations 2025

 Eep, only one week until I turn 38.5 and I’m only just starting this post about how I celebrated my birthday MONTH this year! Yeah, that’s me: unorganized. XD

But cripes, I’m officially in my late thirties now! When I was thirty-seven, I could get away with saying that I was in my mid-late thirties, but once you reach thirty-eight, you’re definitely in your *late* thirties~

Forever grateful to my Facebook friend who taught me that your birthday celebrations needn’t be just restricted to the whole day; you’re allowed to celebrate your birthday for the whole MONTH! ‘Twas an awesome idea that I immediately adopted and I’m just gonna ignore the parents who sneer at me that I only want to celebrate my birthday for the entire month since I want people to take me out for meals because I reckon eating out and sharing a meal with someone’s a great birthday celebration, don’t you? Obviously, my celebrations are curtailed since the parents forbid me from contacting ANYBODY and asking are they free for a meal out together to celebrate my birthday with so I was very grateful for a friend who contacted me first and we enjoyed a lovely meal out together with dessert afterwards~

Like previous years, my first official birthday celebration began with the 3^rd edition book club ladies of the Logan North library. Book club’s held on the 2^nd Thursday of every month and near the end of the February book club one lady said “Well Em, it’s your birthday next month; how are we gonna celebrate your birthday with you?” I suggested dinner after book club but in the end, someone decided dinner during book club! We met at the Springwood Tower Hotel; the Chinese’s restaurant’s called Wong Wong. Meaning I had to share the Sum Ting Wong joke, obviously. XD The restaurant’s a Chinese one and the owner lady speaks Canto~ For birthday cake, someone made fat fluffy cupcakes with chocolate icing; everyone sang me the Happy Birthday song and dear Erika did the hiphips! For my dinner I chose this combo that was one bowl of fried rice (I picked out the prawns XD), a little sweet and sour pork, a little honey chicken, a little braised chicken and two spring rolls! Delicious~

But we ended early so Catherine took me   back to Tea Station and I enjoyed an Oreo croffle! Catherine’s agency from Staffing Options; my usual carers are from CODA South but when they’re not available agency carers get called. She originally told me that when Staffing Options first rang her, she was like, ugh, not another shift; I don’t wanna work anymore tonight but when she heard I   was the client she said I’d better go! <3 Catherine’s Chinese from Beijing~

My first official birthday meal out (BTW, I count every meal out during March a birthday celebration XD) wasn’t until the 2^nd Tuesday of March and I actually have Cyclone Alfred to thank for that! After mother retired from work two years ago halfway through the year, practically the first thing she did was cancel my Thursday lunches out. However, since Cyclone Alfred had caused some flooding in Garbo, everything had been shut so our GCCW group at the library was cancelled! Since Olivia still had the shift to take me, however, mother sent us grocery shopping @ Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown and since Ho Lin Wah opens early @ 11am, she even let us grab lunch out before I came home for a shower! That was my first official birthday meal out, nearly one FORTNIGHT into my birthday month! I had the B meal (fried chicken drumstick with rice) while Olivia had honey chicken with rice; we ordered one HK-style milk tea and one HK-style milk tea coffee. I told Olivia to try a spoonful of each then choose her drink first; being a sweet tooth she went with the milk tea.  XD

One thing that tried to blow away my month of birthday celebrations:  cyclone Alfred! Since he made landfall way further up north than where the parents and I live we weren’t actually personally affected, but I vaguely recall dad going out and buying a big box of bottled water just in case and mother may have filled up the bathtub with water since the weather reports were saying power and water could potentially be cut for days. You know the singer Ronan Keating? Mother doesn’t like him since he cheated on his wife but I think he’s a great singer and have you heard his hit song If Tomorrow Never Comes? My parody: if tomorrow never comes … I got blown away by Alfred … XD For our final (I’m being melodramatic here XD) dinner together, dad cooked fried rice for us~

Around the time Alfred was coming, our Sunday service was only online through Zoom, although I’ve forgotten was that was because of Alfred/COVID lockdown/whatever. After service, several people were just chatting when suddenly Rosanna said she’d make me some cheesecake for my birthday! My current life motto: eat more cake, since fat people are harder to kidnap. XD Sure enough, one day she pops by and drops off three adorable tiny little cheesecake bites! The parents and I all enjoy one each~ Another motto I live by: CAKE for BREAKFAST CAN’T BE WRONG!! :D XD

On the night (well, morning the next day, but still night for me) Alfred arrived, I originally couldn’t fall asleep since outside was so WINDY and NOISY! But at 11:55pm I relieved myself once more, said oh, stuff it. I’m going to bed and pulled the covers over my head. Blessed sleep~ The next morning: hey, I didn’t get blown away! XD

Turns out Alfred brought one more benefit: he flooded UQ, meaning I got outta one session of physio!  XD Unsure did Alfred manage to flood the actual Therapies building; I would’ve guessed that some part of UQ was flooded and so everything was closed? Table tennis was also cancelled for the week~ Toastmasters was cancelled also, so instead of meeting   @ QUT we held a Zoom meeting instead.

However, Albert also brought some frustration: because of his predicted landfall; my personal care support was cancelled.  Sure, I shower everyday regardless of whether/not any carer’s here but when it’s mother supervising my shower, I get much less help than I’m comfortable with. For instance, the carer will usually help me rinse out my hair since I need to hold my right eye fully shut. Unsure why when my left side’s the affected side, it’s my RIGHT eye that doesn’t  fully shut (not enough to see fingers should you  hold them in front of me, but enough to see lightning like up the room  during storms) but I vaguely recall some doctor explaining to me that while your right side’s controlled by the left side of your body  and vice versa, for some reason it’s just  the eyes that are controlled by the same side of your body. The only thing my left side can do that my right side can’t?  waggle the EYEBROW! The left one goes up and down, while the right one just stays there … did I believe in reincarnation I’d guess maybe I was a Vulcan in a past life. That’d explain why I’m such a Trekkie! XD

Also, when I have a carer to assist me with personal care, they’ll help me wash my right arm once she’s washed the rest of me. My right arm can’t wash herself, see? Except the one time I asked mother to please help me wash my right arm, she made my left arm do it instead! Hence why I figured out a way to wash my own right arm with the long-handled brush I use to wash my back with. I don’t mind my affected left arm washing my right arm since I’m seated and can fully concentrate, but she’s unco and would take time. More time means more water used which means higher water bills. Mother already bitches at me about enough things; I don’t want her adding too much water usage to my list … *sigh*

Usually, nature’s my wakeup call most mornings, but the day before Cyclone Alfred arrived the winds heralding his arrival woke me up; gosh, weren’t they noisy!

Before Alfred’s arrival, dad and I also indulge in some panic-buying: forty bucks’ worth of groceries! XD

 

Only last year/the year before/some recent year did I realise I should Google and see what deals were offered on your birthday and then try and get as much/many free things as possible.  Unfortunately, mother was a TREMENDOUS PARTY POOPER and would only lemme redeem ONE! >< Unsure why she gets such a kick outta restricting me so, but hey. *sigh*

This year, I decided to redeem my free birthday drink from Gloria Jeans! The original carer that was gonna take me to get it suddenly wasn’t available but a new carer called Karen took me to Sunnybank Plaza instead.

Since I couldn’t quite remember where Gloria Jean’s was; after Karen parked, I asked would she please head up into the shopping centre first and find where it is before coming back to fetch me. Karen kindly did so, but came back and nearly gave me a HEART ATTACK when she’d reported it’d like shut down! O_o I was all for wailing but awesome Karen immediately Googled around and drove me all the way to Cannon Hill to get my free drink! <3 Seeing as the store was closing at midday, I walked/hobbled/staggered/limped/you choose a verb XD as fast as I could to order my drink before they closed for the day; a lovely old lady even lemme push in line! When I protested, I couldn’t take her place she roared with laughter and said go ahead; I’m not in a rush but obviously you are!

When Karen tootled me home, I quickly sculled it all down, lest mother confiscate whatever was left of it when I got home. Only then I got   brain freeze.   >< Actually, I had so much brain surgery back in 2007, 2008 and 2009 I’m not got any brain left to freeze; rather, I suffer from throat freeze! XD

Dad also took me to get my free Boost juice but then I got pissed that I didn’t sip it (what’s that sinful about taking a long slurp from your drink) nor did I share it with him! Well, he didn’t ask me for any; how was I to know he wanted some? XD

 

During my birthday month, I also attended some Toastmasters conference at like Parliament House and was given some star award! I’m unsure what for, since my favourite quote about stars is: stars don’t shine without darkness. XD But for lunch, I just Googled ‘food near me’ then Olivia and I bought lunch from Betty’s Burgers! A fried chicken burger with chips and chocolate thick shake for me: yum! After the conference everyone adjourns for cake and coffee (half strength mocha for me) and actually it extends to dinner too but since Olivia’s shift ends @ 6pm and I need a shower first I give the rest of my chips to the gentleman beside me, say bye and enjoy!

The day before my birthday I attend GG Bible study @ Dr. Lee’s house and feel very loved when once Bible Study’s over, Dr. Lee brings out a Woolies chocolate mud cake with Tim Tams stuck on top and my GG all sing me the Happy Birthday song! <3

Since Yu Lam and I have our birthdays only two days apart (she’s such a sweetheart and says I can say I’m just two days older than her, not TEN YEARS and two days XD) after church on the week of our birthdays we shared lunch together at some place called sth like Wolfissimo!

 

At the beginning of the month when I’d gone to the Pinelands Bakehouse to buy my once-weekly crunchy pork bahn mi, I’d happily burbled to Aunty Nancy (one lady that works there) that ‘twas my BIRTHDAY on the 20^th; when I come to buy my bahn mi on the week of my birthday she asks me, “You birthday yet?” (Her English isn’t the best but we understand each other just fine) When I excitedly reply “This Thursday!” She instructs “Wait” and goes back behind the counter.  I thought she meant wait while I heat up your bahn mi like she usually does but then she comes back out with an ENTIRE BIRTHDAY CAKE for me! She even proudly shows me how she’s scrawled ‘Happy birthday darling’ on the top of the cake and refuses any payment when I try and reach for my purse!  Afterwards, my carer and I laugh and agree she prolly scribbled Happy Birthday darling since she couldn’t remember my name. XD

When I was first released from the insane asylum (more commonly known to everyone else as the Brain Injuries Rehab Unit of the Princess Alexandra hospital XD), I had to return to the hospital every six months for an MRI to check that the idiot tumour inside my head hadn’t done anything stupid like hit a growth spurt. After several six-month all clears, the hospital said okay come once a year now. After several one year all clears, the hospital said okay come for an MRI once every two years now. Last year I was very happy to not need an MRI, since I’m extremely hard to cannulate because I have super-wimpy veins that bolt with terror whenever someone approaches them with a sharp needle. Meaning last year, I didn’t need an MRI but I went for my first once-every-two-years one during my birthday month.

When the doctor rings with the follow-up, she immediately reassures me that there’s been no tumour regrowth. Phew! But then she tells me I’ve somehow sprouted a huge CYST on my brain?? Me: um, doc, sorry I know absolutely nothing about cysts; am I like suddenly gonna explode now? The doctor roars with laughter before reassuring me, don’t worry, cysts are usually just filled with water but come in for a CT scan and we’ll check.

I thought CT scans were like MRI scans but turns out you’re only inserted into the tube up to your shoulders. After I’d been moved in and out like three times the technician comes over and says we’re all done. I’m like umm, but you haven’t even stuck me fully inside the tube yet; I’ve only gone into my shoulders thrice before being slid back out? The technician laughs and replies no, that’s it! XD

But back to cake: I see my long-lost cousin (my surname’s Chan and his is Chen; surely billions of years ago our cousins were siblings? XD) and he gives me some cake too! I also brought cake to share for table tennis and writers’ group; you could probably say that I was pretty caked out after my birthday month finished! XD

Someone around my birthday was also the first time I’ve been lucky enough to have both lunch and dinner out at a proper restaurant. Usually I don’t count our once-weekly family dinner together outs a proper meal out since dad only orders two meals for three people, takes one whole meal for his lunch the next day, eats half the other meal for himself and leaves mother and I the other half for dinner. Guess who gets the ‘bigger’ half? Obviously not me! >< XD

Oh! My birthday celebrations didn’t really end until June! See, for my birthday, a church friend offered to take me to AUSTRALIA ZOO; of course, I said yes since I’d not visited the zoo for 1.5 DECADES! We’d originally planned to visit the zoo around my birthday but then Cyclone Alfred blew our trip away and then her munchkins were ill but we finally made it!

Fi picked me up early and after breakfast @ Maccas (double chicken and egg McMuffin with a hash brown and a mocha for me) she tootled us all the way to Australia Zoo. Obviously, I used Sparkless3 (my manual wheelchair) for the trip and lucky we grabbed a map at the entrance since that place was HUGE! Later I asked mother was I really bad @ the Where’s Wally books when I was a kid coz whenever we saw a new animal, Fi would spot it immediately (I’m guessing that’s why she’s the vet, not me. XD) but I couldn’t find it! More often than not, she’d have to describe to me where the animal was hiding but often, she just took my arm and pointed it at the animal before I could see it too. XD

For lunch, Fi was healthy and ordered a salad but I went with a burger and chips. XD

Anyways, I had a marvellous birthday this year and will settle down to living life officially in my late thirties. XD

Next post here … I’ve a Fifteen Years Post due from July and also a Five Years one; will see which one I can get out first.

Until then~

Cheers,
Em. ^^

Birthday Reflections 2025

 Lol, same as last year, I’ve remembered to start my Birthday Reflections for the year   two days before my actual birthday so I’m at least maintaining my organisational skills; go me! XD

I’ve tried my hardest to enjoy this year, because when I turn one year older come Thursday, I’ll officially be in my late thirties! Being thirty-seven last year I could get by with saying that I was in my mid-late thirties but once you reach thirty-eight, you’re   definitely in your *late* thirties … XD

Living the disabled life seriously sucks, but what can I do but wake up and face the new day as positively as I can? Unsure why mother’s so bloody DETERMINED to   brand me a negative person, but hey. Positive people say  that the glass is half  full while negative people say  that the glass is half empty but I’ve only  ever just  said that’s half a glass. What does that make me, practical?

Several years ago, some random   church uncle urged mother to take me to see a psychiatrist and get me drugged up. I didn’t mind, but asked the psychiatrist   could he not please not put me on   anything that makes me dull and unresponsive?  I’d rather keep my wits about me, thank-you very much. The psychiatrist put me on some mood stabilising drug and later on some anti-depressant even though I’m not clinically depressed. When I pointed that out to him, he replied nah, it’s for anxiety. Just curious: are all anxious people put on anti-depressants too/has someone created an anti-anxiety drug? Only the psychiatrist moved really faraway   and mother wasn’t confident with driving me so far to see him so she   demanded my GP find me a closer psychiatrist. I didn’t mind, and am actually quite content to sit in the swivel seat and turn myself around while mother disses me like I’m the spawn of Satan, but apparently mother doesn’t like her coz she defended me once while mother was dissing me? Personally, I’m not fussed:  I just take it all like water off a duck’s back. XD Actually, mother doesn’t like this psychiatrist coz she defended me after she majorly dissed me; I’m not fussed: if mother wants to find some new psychiatrist to keep me   drugged up, that’s her choice. I’ll just ask not to be put on anything that makes me dull and unresponsive since I’d rather keep my wits   about me.  Actually, I’ve been told I   get rather dull and unresponsive during Winter. XD I can’t help it: I   HATES the cold! So send me your warmest thoughts, please~ XD Else take me out for the Winter equivalent of shaved ice; um, black sesame dessert soup?

 

 

Would love to stop being a burden on society and rather actually contribute to society by getting a paid job but that’s unfortunately not looking likely coz I’ve not got any formal qualifications but am unfit for study since I   suffer from memory loss post brain-injury. I’ve only got one functioning hand with which to type with and do so at 31WPM. Willing to do ANYTHING as long as (1) I   can do it whilst seated and (2) it gets me properly paid. Somebody please help me find paid work!

Mostly I’m just grateful that I’ve not got blasted physio (the bane of my existence XD) on my birthday, even though I’ve got it the day after … *sigh* There’s really no   rest for the weary …

But hoping the cold season will come and go quickly and I’m looking forward to celebrating my birthday for the whole MONTH, especially since the vet for my two fluffy unicorns has planned a trip to    Australia Zoo with me near the end of the month!

Hmm … I’m not really a reflective person, you might say … just contact me for a meal catchup! XD

Next post here … lol, I lead a boring life and don’t really   have much to write about … you may not hear from me again until December arrives and I pen (well, type XD) a Christmas wishlist for Santa!

Anyways, until then~

Cheers,
Em.  ^^

 

 

Birthday Wishlist 2025

 Let the monthlong celebration begin! :D

Hmm … I vaguely recall that was how I started my Birthday Wishlist post last year too; too bad, I’m repetitive like that. Call it one of the many disabilities I’ve been left with post this stupid brain injury and feel free to stop reading and spend your time on sth else more interesting instead. Actually, not until you’ve got me a birthday present first! XD Here’s what I’m after this year:

(1)               Books – books will always be the first thing I’ll ask for. I’ve always been an avid reader; despite the blasted brain injury leaving me such a shamefully slow reader I’ve always loved reading books ever since I learnt to read and I’ll be damned before I let the cruel and unfaithful God take away my love of reading too because hasn’t He, in His infinite cruelty, taken away enough already?? >< My favourite genres are fantasy, science fiction and historical fiction but I’m willing to give anything bar Mills and Boon a try. XD

(2)               Minions – everyone who knows me even slightly should know that I can’t get enough of these little fellas! I mean, they’re yellow, jellybean-shaped  and oh-so-stupid that they’re simply incapable of being evil no matter how hard they try; what’s not to love about them?? More minions please – banana!! :D

(3)               Singapore trip – this can be the expensive thing I’m asking for. In wish lists  past I’ve tried  asking for an outdoors electric wheelchair since I’ve not been back  to Hong Kong for more than one DECADE and that’s practically what I want to do more than *anything*: go back and visit all my beloved family and awesome friends but have had  to forego asking for one  since I actually had one OFFERED to  me for FREE only for mother to turn it down since she said she wasn’t physically strong enough to bend down and help me with things! >< Grr I can’t explain how frustrated that makes me when I try so fricking hard every day to do the things that you take for granted but you won’t even help me out a little each day just so that I can see all my beloved family and awesome friends in HK! >< But the reasons why I wanna visit Singapore: (1) I’ve only been there once, back in 2005, just over two DECADES ago when I first graduated high school and (2) last month Singapore just opened a MINIONS WORLD and it’s wheelchair-accessible! This obviously relates to my second wishlist item asking for more minions; visiting   Singapore again and holidaying @ MINIONS WORLD would be outta this world!!! Also, you can get iced MILO and iced LEMON TEA from Singapore @ Macca’s; surely that’s another reason for a Singapore trip!!

(4)               Kit Kat cereal – here’s the food item in my wishlist; I believe all wish lists should contain @ least one food item! Mother usually has me eating healthy cereal like Weet-Bix and All-Bran and I used to  ask for  a  box of Frosties/a pack  of fun cereal (think that’s what they call the little singe serve of boxes of Coco Pops, Fruit Loops, etc.) but  while I was grocery shopping with a carer earlier this year I saw that  Kit Kat now comes in CEREAL format and I want to try one because obviously, chocolate  cereal can’t  be wrong!! XD

(5)               Pet – yes, I will forever be horribly guilty of the manslaughter of poor Silver and Bronze (the two goldfish Pole’s family got for me back for my 21^st birthday in 2008); how was I to know that goldfish are so pathetic that they require a heater in their fishtank during Winter lest they freeze to death and perish?? But it’s been over 1.5 DECADES since they perished and surely, I can be trusted with live pets again?? Just make sure the fishtank comes with a heater, please! Else Luke MacCourt, will I EVER receive my pet rock from you?! When you first told me about them, I thought you were pulling my leg about them, that pet rocks and drop bears are cousins but when I got home I randomly googled ‘pet rocks’ and literally discovered webpages about them! Like, they don’t require food and water like live pets might but you can give them like different surfaces to rest on! Luke, I realise you’re busy being a dad and all; your own dad has told me how you’ve made a start on my pet rock and painted it yellow (in homage to the Minions <3) so hurry up and bring me my new pet!! XD

(6)               Teddy – all my teddies are loved and all are named (even though one’s called John Doe and the other John Doe2 XD) but I’m always after more teddies! Bears are the original teddy but I’ve got exotic ones like a soft toy PEARL MILK TEA and last Christmas a friend gifted me a little DRAGON teddy so I’m always after more to add to my teddy family! My poor writers group gets sick of me writing stories about them. XD

(7)               Cake – trouble over getting birthday cake has been a long struggle. My current life motto’s eat more cake: fat people are harder to kidnap. XD Back when I turned thirty, I’d asked mother could I please buy a birthday cake only for her to IMMEDIATELY snap back, “No way!  I didn’t get cake for my last birthday, so why should you?!” I had to explain that the 30^th birthday wasn’t just any old birthday but a special DECADE birthday and she couldn’t jolly well deny me cake!!  >< In the end? Mother lemme buy one little *slice* of cake. Were it not for friends who understood the importance of special decade birthdays and the need for cake, I’d have missed out entirely! O_o ><

When the next year approached, after making sure mother had cake for her birthday I tried asking politely again: please can I have a birthday cake?  Mother refuses because she says she’s gonna MAKE me a birthday cake! See, after her retirement from nursing mid-last year she has been making cakes/other baked goods. Personally, I would have preferred a store-bought cake from The Cheesecake Shop (the last time I had a birthday cake from there was fourteen years ago – nearly 1.5 DECADES) but since mother says she’ll make a birthday cake for me, okay: will you please make me a cheesecake?

On the night of my birthday, we’re tucking into small slices of my birthday cheesecake. Me, after a mouthful. “Um, mother, thanks for this birthday cheesecake you’ve made me. It’s interesting … but could you please explain to me why the cheesecake is SALTY? Um, aren’t cheesecakes meant to be SWEET??”

Mother looks horribly embarrassed for a split second before doubling over and howling with laughter. “Oh, you caught me out! I was hoping that your inferior tastebuds wouldn’t spot the difference, but they did! See, I started making your birthday cake for you after I’d booted you to bed. It was already late; I was very tired and I didn’t realise that the recipe said to use UNSALTED butter and put SALTED butter instead! I was hoping that you wouldn’t realise, but you did! Bahaha!!”

I was hoping after that she’d just lemme buy a cheap birthday cake from Woolies/wherever but she still won’t; apparently all store-bought cakes come filled with preservatives and other really bad stuff and they’re not good for you? But they taste great! Plus, amazing cake bakers like Yu Lam and Lana Banana know how to make cakes where even the INSIDES are beautifully decorated! Really, though, I’m not too picky: I’d just like a yummy birthday cake, please! ^^

(8)               Blanket – Autumn arrived today, the days will begin shortening and it’ll start getting colder. I’m a complete cold frog who completely HATES the cold; in fact, a friend once observed, “Em, come Winter you get rather dull and unresponsive.” Like, should you ask me, “How are you, Em?” I’ll prolly just answer, “Cold.” XD

Would someone please get me a new Winter doona/blanket for my birthday? The current one I’m using during the night isn’t a blanket, I’m pretty sure … it’s more like a bedsheet? Besides, it’s fraying so I’m pretty sure it’s really old; when I’ve used my leg to kick it open and cover my body, it’s gotten caught on some thread before! To be honest I’ve absolutely zero idea where one goes to buy a blanket but I’ve seen on some Facebook page where there are MINION QUILTS for sale! How about you get me a Minion blanket and thus satisfy both the Minion part and the blanket part of this wishlist??

 

Lol I’ve only asked for eight things but I already don’t know what more to ask for! XD Suppose I value catching up with peers for meals out, etc. Unsure why the parents are so against me going out and catching up with others over a meal; mother especially seems to try her stinking hardest to keep me socially isolated. I wish she wouldn’t but the only way I can think around that’s if you contact me first? I’m best contactable over Facebook Messenger and not SMS since I don’t usually get mobile access unless I’m out so please reach out, drop a line and say sth like, “Hey, heard it’s your birthday soon; let’s do lunch/dinner/whatever’ together!

Oh, and as always, I reserve the right to add to this wishlist, so should you come up with anything I might like, please tell me! Else just get it for me. XD

Next post here … well, if I’m organised it’ll prolly be a movie review since I’ve seen two/three movies over the Christmas/New Year break but if I’m not, you’ll prolly not here from me again until September, when I share about how I spent my birthday this year! XD

Until then~

Cheers,

Em. ^^
P.S. Now go, everyone scatter and secure me birthday presents! XD

P.P.S.  (9) Automatic tap and soap dispenser - when I was last back in HK (2012), I discovered that taps and soap dispensers had become automated! After getting some soap and washing herself, my right hand chucked my left hand into the sink and said you've gotta try this; it's so cool! Think mother found an automatic soap dispenser for me from Priceline and Uncle Calvin found an automatic tap from EBay for like thirty bucks? Someone please get me these two practical gifts!