The Digital Awakening

Bliss From The Past

Peter Tan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:19:02 +0000

I was in bed, half awake. My eyes were shut. I was acutely aware of the surroundings. The bed was next to a wall with a window. The door, painted in green, was to my right. Sounds from the piano resonated down the hallway from the living room.

My mother was outside somewhere, either occupying herself with housework or in the garden, I was not sure which. The coolness of the morning filled me with a sense of contentment. In the comfort of my pillows and ruffled blanket, I was reluctant to get up.

Reality seeped in as realisation slowly stirred me from the slumber. Indeed, there was a window on my left but the door to my right was grey and next to it was another door in the same colour. Sounds from the piano came from the neighbouring house and not from the living room.

My Twitter update a while later reflected my feelings when I became fully cognizant of where I really was.

Thought I was in my childhood home with mother pottering outside. Woke up to discover I’m far away, all grown up and mother long gone.

For the past week or so, I have woken up remembering dreams like this. They are usually bits and pieces of familiar scenes; from my childhood, from my teenage years, from my past. The most vivid was also this, recurring every now and then, of the one place I felt most secure and comfortable in, my bedroom in the Jalan Terengganu house in Penang.

I guess, deep inside, one part of me wished I was still that seventeen year old kid, bumming around without a care in the world. Life was good back then. How was I to foresee my life would turn out the way it is now. Ignorance is bliss, they say. I cannot agree more, not that I have any complaint about my life now, on a personal level. Life is still good but dreams like that give me a sense of joy knowing that I have experienced such bliss before.

The Digital Awakening Turns Nine

Peter Tan — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:05:04 +0000

This post makes it the 1544th entry in this blog. It also marks the ninth anniversary of the inception of The Digital Awakening. That is nine years of my life, thoughts and opinions put into words, almost. I now look forward to posting my 2,000th entry some time this year and celebrating my first decade of blogging next year. This is going to be an exciting year for me where blogging is concerned.

The Royal Bank Of Scotland Ang Pow 2012

Peter Tan — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:51:20 +0000

The sight of flowers in Spring gives a sense of renewal and hope. That is the theme for the Royal Bank of Scotland’s ang pow for the Year of the Water Dragon. Plum blossoms emblazoned in gold adorn the red packets. Made from thicker paper stock and measuring at 6.50″ x 3.25″, they are also sturdier and larger than regular ang pows. What I like best about these packets is the wide horizontal opening which makes it convenient to insert currency notes. This is certainly one of the better designed ang pows around for this year.

HSBC Bank Hong Bao 2012

Peter Tan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:19:38 +0000

The theme for HSBC Bank’s hong bao this year is money tree flourishing with gold coins and blooming jade flowers. Chinese lucky knots make up the tree trunk culminating with the cords weaved into a chrysanthemum flower at the base. A propitious Chinese four-character idiom called chengyu wishes that the receiver’s home overflowing with gold and jade, in short, untold riches. The flap of gold flower motif adds an elegant finishing touch to the hong bao.

OCBC Bank Ang Pow 2012

Peter Tan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:02:15 +0000

The OCBC Bank ang pow for this year comes in four designs. Each has a different motif that is significant to the Chinese New Year. There are Mandarin oranges, gold fishes, vase with flowers and a tea set. Gold stamped calligraphy in the front extends auspicious wishes to recipients of these red packets. The delightfully simple motifs exude a festive atmosphere reminiscent of an era when traditions were strong and the occasion was the biggest celebration of the year.

OCBC ang pow for 2012 – Set 1.

OCBC ang pow for 2012 – Set 2.

OCBC ang pow for 2012 – Set 3.

OCBC ang pow for 2012 – Set 4.