Giedre tyttö Leijonakaupungista

Am I loosing the edge?

My sister told me yesterday that my blog is not interesting anymore. She said it was "too censored", "too nice" and becoming "like a travel brochure".. Hmm.. Made me think seriously. Why I don't "see" things anymore? These days I could just walk down the street and there's nothing that would catch my eye as something "spectacular" or "worth taking picture of". Did I stop "seeing" and start "living" in Leijonakaupunki?

I also read couple of "super-smart" weblogs lately that were very sarcastic about things. I wasn't entertained, I couldn't help thinking, "why are these people so bitter"? Am I becoming too "square" and "plain" or what?

I also noticed that I don't have the usual autumn sadness, you know, the smell of rotting leaves, the feeling of things passing away, the sense of shortness of life.. All these sensations that may make you write haiku or stare at foggy brownish fields for hours.. The clear crisp autumn weather with some sadness in the air.. Nothing like that here..

My response to my sister could be: "Everything also want! Free one is it? Yes, (grab, grab...snatch) Kiasu (I first, you second.) (I also have ah!)" :) That is Singlish. I'm becoming Leijonakaupunkilainen, lah. No weird thoughts, no.. Shopping is good good, ah.

Coming back to my tourist reporter duties - there's new celebrations coming. Deepavali for Indians and Hari Raya for Muslims. Deepavali is like Christmas, the festival of lights. People do special ceremonies in the temples (walk on burning charcoal and yogi stuff like that, I'll try to go and see one of those ceremonies someday). Hari Raya comes after Ramadan. During Ramadan Muslims cannot eat or drink while its still light outdoors. They have to do special prayers and when the night falls, they can indulge into very special meals. I think it is very funny that it is supposed to be a fasting month to clean your body, so I would imagine that you should be reserved about the food in general. But there's plenty of advertisements of hotels offering huge buffet "breaking the fast" dinners. You may even travel to Malaysia to "break fast", because it is "cheap cheap, lah". I'd like to do that one day..

Otherwise, I think it is beautiful, this society, equally respecting and appreciating all the cultural traditions and its ethnic groups. There's holidays for everyone - Christmas, Chinese new Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali. I'm very very impressed! Is it a utopia where lions and lambs are living peacefully together?..

Yesterday I was walking to botanical gardens and although monsoon season is coming and it rains almost every day, for some reason I couldn't bother to carry an umbrella with me. Of course, it started dripping after a while. And raining quite seriously very soon. I was just standing under a tree, thinking what to do, there was no shelter in the street, just fences and trees. Then a car stopped next to me and the lady inside asked if I needed a ride. As I got into the car, it started pouring really badly. Imagine tropical rain - water dropping with such a power, that it splashes from the ground up to your knees. Even if you have umbrella, you're soked immediately. So the lady took me to the bus stop and as I said I didn't have an umbrella, she just gave me one, because "she has a lot of them in her car".. I was just so thankful to this lady... So this transformation that is happening in me - maybe I'm becoming "plain", but possibly also learning to be good-hearted and considerate? Why not? You will not recognize me when you meet me again.. :)

Posted by gkligyte at October 23, 2004 04:25 PM