Yangon Thu

Thingyan

Padaut Pann (pann means flower in Burmese) that blooms usually right before Thingyan season. Men give women these flowers as a token of their affection during this time.

My family and I celebrated the second day of Burmese New year (Thingyan) today by having an all out Barbeque!

Most Burmese people don't have BBQs to celebrate Thingyan. Burmese in Burma would actually be making special foods for this time of year, they would be out and about throwing water on passers by, going to "Mundutts" - concert stages where there are dancing, singing, and people standing around with water hoses, water balloons, buckets of water, etc to throw it upon whoever is passing by. This is to, of course, cleanse them of their sins, worries, whatever is bogging them down, so they can start their new year fresh.

Thingyan goes for 5 days and then the day after all the water throwing activities end, it is the new year. This year, the new year started on April 13th and the 18th will be the official first day of the new year!

Buddhist folks also, tend to go into meditation sessions, do volunteer work at the monasteries, and so on to start the new year off afresh.
But seeing that we live in Singapore and that we only got the 14th off due to it being good friday, my family and I had a Barbeque with some of my parents' friends.

I did good - I did the grilling, the making of the salad, preparing dips, etc while my mom made fried noodles and samosas and some Burmese shrimp and squid salad. We had some white wine, sparkling juice, ate, laughed, listened to Thingyan music and just chilled. Would have been nice, if we could have BBQ'd at the beach as planned, but oh well, what is Thingyan without some rain?

Happy Burmese New Year, everyone and also Happy Easter to those who celebrate it.

Jackie, I miss the Easter egg hunts! I keep remembering the time I didn't know what Easter egg hunts were and I kept following Emilie around.. lol... so funny.

P.S: Myo fromBlog of Nyein Chan Yar is a genius for working on my blog templates for me, even if I take forever in changing them. Now, I need to make a banner to complete the look. I'm loving the white for a change. Definitely visit His Thingyan blog post to listen to the famous Thingyan Moe song (Thingyan rain) .

My Burma question

A Burmese American rapper added me recently on my myspace.com page. I don't know how to critique a rapper or his rappability. But I have to give props to a Burmese American Rapper who raps about Burma and his message is "Free Burma" on the aptly titled "Burma" on his new album.

I am not sure if the song flows altogether. But I like the Burmese classical beats he has integrated in it and I appreaciate the message he has - that is: Burma is messed up, UN needs to be aware, people need to do something.

But what I also noticed is that he claims to be born in California and so of course, that makes me think - has he been to Burma? - or does he just rap about it from what he reads in the papers, what people tell him? Is he really for the Burmese freedom cause, or is it just another issue that gives him an edge as an Asian American rapper from the Bay Area? I am leaning heavily in to the latter idea as his other songs don't mention Burma.

But then - I think - where is the balance? Does one need to be immersed totally in the cause to actually care about Burma? Can you have your own life where you can rap about, write about whatever you want and still care deeply for the cause of freedom?

You can check him out at his myspace page and decide yourself.

Teddy G: http://www.myspace.com/teddygyesyall

Random things to fill my day

Mythical Burmese love birds - Kein da yi and Kein da yar hanging in Tanya and Josh's living room.

1 0 F A V O R I T E S

TV show: Lillies
Alcohol: Wine/Champagne ( never thought I'd say that but particularly after my Paris trip, wine & champagne are my favorite)
Movie: Fight Club
Color: Blue

Phrase: Right!
Mall: Takashimaya
Music: For now, Burmese oldies
Food: Sushi

1 0 F A C T S

Height: 5ft 2 inches and a half!
Hair color: Dark Brown
Hair length: Past my shoulder
Hair style: layerd bobbish
Eye color: Dark Brown
Shoe Size: 7, 71/2
Personality: depressed little Ms. Sunshine.
Ring size: 5
Get sea sick: once when there was a storm
Pets: none. I'm told Sunday borns shouldnt' have puppies, so am extremely upset.

1 0 L I F E

How's life?: LOL - kind of painful
Whats your mood right now?: bitchy yet hopeful
What are you doing as we speak?: Google Talking with my sister
What are you doing over the weekend?: Swimming and chillin' and seeing a doctor (how exciting)
What did you do last weekend?: swam and chilled - lol
What do you want to do with your life?: Live with no regrets.
Where do you work?: In Raffles Place for a company that makes trains.
How is school?: I miss it and loathe it at the same time
Where are you right now?: in front of the the computer, in my home.

1 0 L O V E L I F E

Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?: No Bf, plenty of girlfriends. haha
Have you ever been in love: Yes
Do you believe in love?: Yes. Love is scary but I believe in it.
Why did your last relationship fail?: hum, it just stopped working.
Have you ever had your heart broken?: Yes
Have you ever broken someones heart?: Yes
Have you ever fallen for your best friend?: Yes
Plan on getting married?: I was planning and then I wasn't.
Are you afraid of committment?: YES, I am scared of even committing to a cell phone plan.

1 0 R A N D O M S

One thing sitting next to you: Laptop
Do you like the color purple?: lilac is better
How many cds do you own?: about 80 or 90, I dont know
Longest phone conversation?: till dawn
Who was it with ?: an ex boyfriend.
What is your most prized possession?: I never leave home without the ring my grandma gave me.
Whos your closest relative?: my sister
Who is your closest friend?: right now, my sister
If you could go anywhere, where would it be?: Greece

1 0 T H I S O R T H A T S

Pepsi or coke?: Coke (i'm loyal, even if I don't drink soda anymore)
CD or Radio?: CD
Tommy boy or black sheep?: Tommy Boy - coz what's black sheep?
Saturday or Sunday?: Saturday
Single or taken?: Single
Colored or black and white?: Colored
Phone or in person?: Either
Chocolate or vanilla?: Chocolate

1 0 H A V E Y O U E V E R S

Have you ever been caught sneaking out?: Yes
Have you ever fought someone?: Yes
Have you ever skinny dipped?: Yes
Have you ever done something you regret?: Yes
Have you ever bungee jumped?: No
Have you ever been on a house boat?: No
Have you ever finished an entire jaw breaker?: No, i spit it out, I was tired.
Have you ever peed your pants from laughing?: Yes, hahahaha.
Have you ever fallen out of a tree?: yes
Have you ever broken a bone?: No, surprisingly

10 A R E Y O U S

Are you missing someone right now? I'm missing alot of peoples
Are you going to murder someone?: LOL - what the hell? No. and if I was, I'd be smart not to tell you.
Are you happy?: I try to be, at least 2 hours a day. I just made that up. I'm PMSing - after 6 months, so you really don't want to ask me that right now.
Are you talking to anyone right now?: Yeah, a couple but they are boring me quickly...
Are you bored?: see above
Are you German?: NOPE
Are you Irish?: NO
Are you Italian?: NOPE and why German Irish and Italian? Why not ask my if I'm an Orang Asli? huh? huh?
Are you sure you don't want to murder someone?: Actually, I would murder someone - I have dreams of fighting a revolution and blasting a couple of people with M16s. Try to guess who they are, right guesser gets a special prize.