We've Done It...

Just under 2 weeks ago, D & I have finally gotten down to doing it... having our first tattoo that is. We had been talking about it for some time now, years actually, but we never did it for various reasons.

D has always wanted to get a cross, to remind him of the bad patch he had couple of years back. His reason seems to be more obvious and real unlike mine. I just wanted to do something that I would not usually do. Maybe it is the rebellious streak that has been suppressed by my upbringing all these years and the thought of making this decision even if it is for no big reason feels somewhat gratifying and free. And I suppose I just want to do something before I become a mum, and also to remember this time that I have in HK with D. We joked that if our kids ever want to get a tattoo, at least we can tell them,"Sure can, but we had ours at 29 and 35, so wait till when u are of that age first."

I decided to get a small one (below, left side), length 10.5 cm and height 3cm and on my lower back; D's cross is bigger and higher up his back, just under his neck. I reckon I didn't want a big one right across my waist, just a small one in the middle part of the lower back, and a simple tribal-like design and have the letter "C" intertwined within it.

If you ask me if it was painful, I would say yeah, certain parts. Mine wasn't too complicated, and since it is small, the experience was only about 50 mins. However it still does hurt when the outline was done. The pain wasn't so much countless needle pricks and it doesn't hurt till I squirm or cry in pain, but I can't imagine doing a huge one that covers the entire back. That can't be done in one sitting anyway... D's took more than an hour 'cos it was bigger and more intricate, and he commented that it was painful when the needle was over his spinal area.

We went to see this female tattooist, Sze (a local hongkonger but mainly cater to angmohs, http://szectattoo.cjb.net/), and felt easy to talk to. Our main criteria is an unique design, and well, she delivered with her designs that were emailed to us to and fro with modifications and provided us with her professional and artistic viewpoint. The cost: HK$1300 for mine and HK$1800 for D's. I don't know what the rates are like in S'pore or even in HK, but I felt the important thing is for us to click with the person who holds the needle... and like D said, it is even more worth the money cos Sze is pretty... Haiz, and it's true. Even I think so too.

We have been watching this show called "Miami Ink" on cable, which is about a group of tattooists who come together to open a tattoo shop in Miami, and each has a certain tattoo specialty. Basically it is one of the many reality series that are currently on TV. Dunno if it is shown in S'pore.

Duh Foto @ YMCA King's Park

Someone did use spell check but didn't use the thesarus.

Sinseh Visit & Votes

Went to see a chinese physician (sinseh) this morning all the way at Tsuen Wan, New Territories. Had hurt my left knee on Tues and I have been hobbling about because of that. It has gotten better, but I reckon it will be a good idea to have a sinseh take a look at it. As HK has so many sinsehs, and I wouldn't know the difference in standards, I sought out recommendations to make the right choice.

D's colleague recommended this clinic, and took us there this morning. It was quite a good visit, but I realised that I happened to be the only young lady in the room filled with older folks, median age was probably around 75. Dunno what that implies, but I supposed I just saw my future in the elderly's eyes. Couldn't take any fotos during my treatment, felt that it will be an infringement of my fellow patients' privacy. Besides, I was busy tolerating the pain as the sinseh rubbed my knee with some yellow ointment.

Later in the afternoon, we proceeded to the S'pore Consulate at Admiralty to do our citizen duty. Taking the lift to the 9th storey, D & I left our mobiles with my colleague who had already cast her vote and was waiting for us outside the consulate. Aiyah, I was planning to take some shots of me casting the votes... for posterity. Hehe.

Anyway, after showing our polling letters and NRIC, we walked through another door to get to the conference room which housed the ballot boxes. When I looked into the conference room at first, the only thing that I saw was the ballot box and I was wondering why the officer that I had met earlier didn't give me any polling card. Actually there were 3 more consulate officers further on the left of the conference room, and this was the 2nd stage towards exercising our citizenship.

I don't know if it was my imagination, but it seemed like those consulate officers brightened up when they saw me entering the room. Perhaps they were bored spending such a beautiful sunny Saturday in this room, with no TV or radio. I am wondering if they are paid to be on electoral duty today. Must give them OT pay, so poor thing.

When one of consulate officers looked at my polling letter and NRIC again and read out my name and some code to her colleague, I thought she was speaking to me and I answered her. What to do, I am a virgin voter.

Apparently, she had to read out my name and the code that identifies me so that the other officer can write the code on the side panel of my polling card, which she then tore along the perforated lines very carefully, folded the polling card into halves before passing it to me. I took the opportunity to confirm what I had to do, "Put a cross in the box right, not a tick rite? Then fold the paper again rite, into halves or can I fold it again? Then put into the box rite? This is my first time voting..."

So off I went to the ballot station, which seemed to me to be quite flimsy and picked up the blue pen within the station, and crossed out the box. D came a couple of seconds later than me, and he told me later that there were still quite a no. of voters who hadn't cast their ballots yet, according to the paper that the consulate officers used to take our attendance.

Right now, I am tuning in to Channel News Asia's live telecast of the results. So far, PAP has been voted in to form the next government (no surprises); the 2 opposition wards, Hougang & Potong Pasir, are still the opposition's; it seems like the percentages have generally lowered for the ruling party according to some analysts.

Virgin Voter

So exciting, I didn't think I will ever get the chance to fill in the polling card and vote in my life. Tomorrow, 6th May 2006 Saturday, will go down in my life's history as a first-time voter, virgin voter siah. What's more, I am going to do it out of S'pore. Will "chronicle" that tomorrow when I go to the S'pore's Consulate in Admiralty, HK.

I didn't think I will be so into this entire polling/election thing. Afterall, it is a given that the ruling party will still be the ruling party. But it is very interesting, almost refreshing, to know that there are so many more opposition contestants this election. I do think it takes a lot for a S'porean to stand for elections, especially as an Opposition member. In a way, I have been brought up not just by my parents, but also by PAP via its various policies, education (PAP kindergarten) and as a civil servant. It will seem right to stand with PAP, whether out of loyalty, reciprocration or just fear of the unknown. So it intrigues me to know that there are people who become opposition members.

Anyway the responsibilty as a S'porean will rest on my shoulders, as I hobble to the consulate tomorrow on my twisted left knee, which has been hurt since Tuesday.