linden
Yo, Dad, Happy Birthday! This lad of the baby boomer generation has not yet hit his middle-aged crisis, or will he ever? In truth, he just thinks life is too short to moan about boredom because there's always so much to do--reading, writing, wine-drinking, dining with best mates (bunch of 50 something academics gather together to bash the government and share latest off-colour jokes), watching movies, traveling (most of the time it's armchair travel), hiking (basically a time for him to show-off his cool hiking gear), swimming, shopping and thinking, etc. Though not leaving out what he scaringly does best--organising and making everything spotless. After years of hosting all-night parties and putting everything back to its right place before Dad comes home, A-li and I should know better that even one iota of evidence--a different smell of the living room--can make him suspicious. In public, he is one man who knows when to say the right things at the right time--a talent which I think not many own. Dad is a man of few words but when in the right mood, he's a natural funny person at the dinner table. His best trick is to make a vapid conversation come to an end simply be smiling at the dull babbler. Personally, self's most memorable moments shared with Dad is in the living room: 1) Telling a worried daughter that the more you read, the more you know, hence the less you are afraid. (In fact he brings home weekly free tabloid magazines from bookstores to satisfy our minds) 2) Study literature and go for PhD. Postgraduate studies is all about building up the thought not about learning the skills. (Neglecting the fact that it will be a major financial and career disaster) Guess the idea is still cool, though. With his influence of disliking girly girls, Dad has raised up a daughter who seldom if ever has the illusion that she is mentally/physically strong and can do anything, ha!