Qs and As

I have been getting odd personal questions from out-of-touch friends, acquaintances, ex-colleagues, ex-schoolmates, ex-classmates and ex-whatever so I am posting some of the answers to any future questions I foresee (let me look into my crystal ball first...).

To those who have not kept in touch in the past ten years or so:

1) yes, I am married - a guy, my sweet photographer hubby, actually wanted to spend the rest of his life with tomboyish, serious, plain old me.

2) yes, I have a baby - hard to believe as it may seem considering I wasn't in the least motherly last time, I actually did went ahead to go through the many challenges of looking like a beached whale for ten months, undergo painful labour to have a bouncing cute baby boy. Frankly, he's worth all the pain I went through and all the lost in sleep and peace thereafter.

3) yes, I am now a journalist - hardly surprising to most of you who knew me in school since I always loved scribbling short stories when I am supposed to be doing homework / paying attention in class....

4) yes, I am still in good old Penang, work here, bought an apartment here, married here, have a baby here and will probably grow old and die here.

To those who knew me at work:

5) yes, I am now working for the company named after the sphere of scorching, hot gas in the sky called 'tai yang pao' in mandarin.

6) yes, I still go out on assignments and though you don't see me around much, it doesn't mean I am desk bound!

7) yes, I still have trouble matching names to faces except for those I knew for years...

To those who have not seen me for a few years:

8) yes, I am fatter than when I got married in 2003 but I can assure you I am probably fitter than most of you cause I can climb the stairs to the 15th floor at my apartment without getting out of breath. Besides, gimme a break, I had a baby for God's sake and it's not easy to lose all that pregnancy weight!

9) yes, I am now dieting and trying to lose all that pregnancy weight but please bear in mind, I am not a supermodel, my income and job does not depend on how skinny or fat I am AND importantly, my hubby doesn't mind. So please get over it and stop telling me how fat I look!

10) no, I am not having a second baby YET! Again, gimme a break, my son is barely two and you want me to think about having a second child???? When the time comes, I am sure you will be able to see, after all it is impossible to hide a pregnancy!

11) yes, I have a tattoo on my left leg and yes it is so permanent that it will probably be there still if I was murdered and chopped into pieces and my leg is the only part left of me.

12) no, the tattoo is not a flower or a plant or an animal. It is just some creative one-of-its-kind design by tattoo artist, Ono. He did the design freehand, without sketching it down or anything, so I am probably the only one with this design. And no, it is not faded, those faded parts are actually creative shadings made by the talented Ono.

13) no, the tattoo is not new. I have had it since 2003 or 2004....don't quite remember the exact year.

14) no, I won't tell you how much it cost to have the tattoo done but if you really want one, call me and I will give you Ono's number although I am not sure whether he is still doing tattoos for new clients. (he is very selective)

15) yes, I am still as sarcastic as ever and sometimes can be quite bitchy with a temper to match but all in all, I really meant no harm and no, I do not bite.

As for any questions that went unanswered, too bad! My crystal ball must be outdated and could not predict the questions. Send me an email and if I feel like answering it, I will.