It’s About Time

Last Friday, Amanda wrote this to me, which i thought it was sweet.

Amanda's handwritten note

Then yesterday, after her phonics class, while at the supermarket, she told her mother that she wanted to give me a “treat.”  When asked why Papa deserves a treat, Amanda answered it’s because Papa takes care of her, and bought her books (I did last week).  My wife took opportunity to commend her on her sense of appreciation and thoughtfulness.  Told her that “you want to show Papa your appreciation” rather than “treat.”

It was heartwarming to hear this when my wife related it to me.  We’ve been trying to inculcate in her a sense of “gratitude-attitude” so it’s heartening to note of such things.

Taylor GSMC Headstock

Well, the Taylor GSMC (aka GS5) finally arrived today!  I was surprised as it is a public holiday and that DHL delivers.  Technically, it reached Singapore yesterday and cleared customs by noon.  No complaints.
It came in Taylor box and well packed and I’m impressed with the shipment delivered. I’m referring to the seller.

It’s as pictured in EBay though a tad disappointed that the strings were “dead” on arrival. Anyway, I took a new set of D’Addario 17 (PB med) and strung it.  It cost me 30 minutes plus some blood cos one of the treble strings poked into my left thumb. Ouch!

My wife said, “hmm… another guitar and someone complains about space shortage in his office.” 

Will update later with more pictures as well as initial impression. Meanwhile, here’s the guitar specifications:

* Type/Shape: 6-String GS  |* Back & Sides: Tropical American Mahogany |*Top: Western Red Cedar *Soundhole: Rosette Abalone |*Neck: Tropical American Mahogany |*Fretboard: Ebony with Binding |*Fretboard Inlay: Abalone Dots |*Headstock Overlay: Indian Rosewood |*Binding: Ivoroid |*Bridge: Ebony |*Nut & Saddle: Tusq |*Tuning Machines: Gold-plated Taylor Tuners |*Strings: Medium gauge |*Scale Length: 25 1/2 Inches |*Truss Rod: Adjustable |*Neck Width at Nut: 1 3/4 Inches |*Number of Frets: 20 |*Bracing: Standard II (Forward Shifted Pattern W/Relief Rout) |*Finish: Gloss | *Body Width: 16 ¼ inches | *Body Depth: 4 5/8 Inches |*Body Length: 20 Inches |*Overall Length: 41 Inches

Taylor GSMC - taken w/0 flash under fluroescent lighting

Today I won a bid on EBay for a Taylor GSMC 2006, which has been renamed as GS5 in 2008.  This is s Grand Symphony body.  This purchase meant 1) I now acceded and own a Taylor; 2) I now ventured beyond spruce top and rosewood back & side to own a cedar top/mahogany back & side guitar (My first cedar top was Takamine EN-15 which has been sold to Serbian prof from NTU).  I reckon it’ll arrive in about 10 days’ time assuming the seller gets on with his program. In fact it was a music shop in Kenosha, WI.

Yesterday while driving, I was listening to the radio when there was talk about nicest nasi lemak stall in Singapore.  Listeners were urged to sms their recommendations to the radio station.

Nasi Lemak is a Malay staple food that is easy to eat and tasty too. Easy because it was mainly rice cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaves; the hot sauce (here we say chili sauce) is called sambal.  Traditionally it has small fish — ikan kuning (literally, yellow fish), deep fried with ginger spices. Not forgetting a thin slice of fried egg.   As time passes, the Chinese begins to sell it; often adding fried chicken wings, fried fish cake, plus other stuff.  Being a traditionalist (maybe hardnose), I don’t eat food cooked by those outside of the ethnic group. By that I meant, if it’s Malay food, I must eat from Malay stall; if it’s Chinese food, only from the Chinese.  Not a segregationalist, I just feel that those outside cannot cook as well. I suppose I’m just plain stubborn. And why waste time trying out a Chinese cooked nasi lemak? I just go straight to the Malay stall and order it. period.

Somehow, a series of words conjure up memories of my childhood. When my three neighbors (3 brothers – Ah Hui; Ah Lek; Ah Leng) plus my elder brother and I would take a 2.5 hrs bus ride from our house in C’wealth Cresecent, Queenstown, to Changi Point.  Every Sunday morning, the 5 of us would take bus no. 2, eagerly aniticpating the sight and smell of Changi.  I think bus no 2 still ply the same route after all these years.

Being poor– we would save up our money to have just enough to pay for our bus fare (10 cents each way) and nasi lemak (20 cents).  The Malay boys from the nearby kampong at Changi would ply their trade along the beaches.  The highlight of the trip (after swimming) would be to eat that precious packet of nasi lemak.  It’s a heavenly joy for us kids.  By the way, we were just about 8 to 13 years of age.  My brother being the oldest and Ah Leng and I were both 8 years old.

We’d guard our money otherwise, not only does it mean we don’t get to savor nasi lemak; it’d be a long road back to Queenstown from Changi Point.  For some it might be very dreadful thing but for us kids back then, it was part of life.  I recall walking to Capitol Theater from Queenstown. Almost everywhere we went we walked. Why? No money, that’s why. We developed endurance anyway. When I got enlisted into the army. Road march was never an issue with me.

Came across the quote while reading Alan Redpath’s The Making of a Man of God, a study of the life of David.  I read this book back when I was a 16 year old and was greatly impacted by it.  Redpath writes:

The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment; the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”