1. Kiss
My interpretation of Kiss. Back during my mother's young adult days until the early 1990s, bold red Hollywood-style lipstick color and salon curled hair were almost the rage everywhere. Starting from the left of the photo is my late grandfather, I always enjoyed looking at old photographs of my late grandfather as old photos of yesteryear tells a story that we may not be aware of.
Beside my grandfather is a relative whom my whole family don't really like. When I was still young and schooling, every year we would go to her house and pay our respects during Lunar New Year. And each year without fail, she would bragged about how her grandchildren are always in the top 3 spots during exams, and then proceed next to ask about me and my brother's school grades. One fine year, my father got so pissed with her brags that we stopped visiting her and has never visited her ever since. We only saw her every now and then, whenever we held birthday celebration(s) for my late grandfather.
The lady in red and looking uber pale is my mother. This photo was taken during her wedding ceremony. Notice her hairstyle? The rage during her time ^^ And she always tells me about how when she was a teenager, her fine was so beautiful that it looked like the hair of models you see in current hair commercials. Too bad she didn't want to keep it long after she got married.
Next is another relative we also dread. Whenever she called our house, my mother would "entertain" her phone call(s) and she'd talk on and on and on and on, without realizing that she need to stop as people need to sleep or have houesework to do. We ended up getting a caller ID partly because of her too. If her number pops up, we'd just ignore and hope she'll stopped calling since nobody answering a ringing phone is the equivalent of no one is at home.
2. Askew
This photo was taken by my father shortly after my parents got married. The location was the old World Trade Center where people can buy tickets and hop onto ferries that will bring you to neighboring Sentosa or further away islands such as Kusu Island and St. John's Island. Now, this complex is renamed as HarbourFront Centre. And the spot where my mother is standing? It used to featured the whole map on the map using tiles and all the time you can see, are actual real-time from different countries shown here. Too bad this was also demolished to make way for upgrading of the old World Trade Center into the current HarbourFront Centre.
Also, "askew" photographs during the early 1980s and 1990s were considered "avant garde". But I simply harbor the thought that they were trying to take a proper photograph and trying to find the perfect angle when they slipped and ended up snapping the photo "askewedly".
3. Fragrant
Ironic that I choose this photo for the interpretation for the word Fragrant. You see, back in the early 1980s, children use a small little bucket where they learn how to pee and poop on their own. Like a mini toilet bowl for little kids. The "hat" that I am using on my head? That's the mini toilet bowl where I learned how to pee and poop >.< And my parents who took this photo actually let me use it as a temporary hat.. Yea, fragrant it is, but on the other side of the scale.
4. Simple
My interpretation of the word Simple is really simple actually. In the early 1950s to 1980s, life were pretty simple, cheap and affordable. As you can see in the photo, even pillow case and bed sheets were also simple, cheap, affordable and at the same time reminds one of the comforts of being home. No matter where you go, how far you go or even when life takes a beating out of you, you are always ensured of the little simple fact that there's a home you can go to. Where warmth and family, smiles and happiness waits for you, taking all the days away from you while you rest and relax without having to worry about the issue at hand.
5. Plant
This shot was actually meant for my tumblr blog. But I thought I'd break "tradition" by using it for this Scavenger Hunt Sunday post instead.
When we first moved to our current residence, almost all of our neighbors on this stretch of balcony were growing plants, except us. Less than 10 years ago, my mother decided to "join" the plant-growing activity and the very first plant she tried growing was a pot of chilli padis. However, someone, probably from the floor below us decided to pluck away her hardwork whenever the chilli padis were ripe for the taking. My mother re-planted a new batch and each time, someone kept harvesting our chilli padis without us knowing. Finally, she changed to growing aloe veras instead and the plant-lifting activity stopped once and for all.
We all know Singaporeans love good and spicy chilli padis. But stealing from a neighbor's pot is a big No No. But apparently, the chilli padi thief didn't think so..
Blog Meme Source: Ramblings and Photos by Ashley Sisk
ack! i can't believe you put the pot on - wait no. i can't believe your parents took a picture of you with the pot on! hahahaha! funny shot. definitely the other end of fragrant.
ReplyDelete@ w:
DeleteWell, kids under the age of 3 years old in 1980s Singapore tend to not realize the weird things they do, unlike children now who do have an inkling what looks nice and what doesn't. Parents say "Put this on." or "Wear this, it looks fabulous!!" and we kids just do obligingly.
It won't be until 10 or 20 years down the road when you look back at your old photos and wondered, "Why the heck I did it for??"
Great set - I love fragrant and simple.
ReplyDelete@ Ashley Sisk:
DeleteThank you indeed :)
Some things doesn't need to be too over the top. Simplicity is almost always the best is what I believe in.