Home Sweet Home

For the next few weeks and well into the month of Nov, I'll be mostly consumed with trying to complete my Nanowrimo entry. So, I'm using this blog to vent out any parts where I'm stucked at and any ideas to help me get out of my writer's block from you guys will be much appreciated.

The outline for my story is unfolding nicely enough. The only thing that stumped me was trying to write from a male's point of view (POV). Do guys normally keep diaries? And if so, how would they write it? Specifically, how would my dad write it?

My dad's a man who always writes in proper English - having been educated and raised in the good ol' Colonial times where gentlemanly and courteous guys are produced. Those are the rare breed of guys, which are sadly missing today. In real life, dad is not very demonstrative with his affections and words. He's very direct. Curt, even. He only speaks words that he deems is necessary. So it's kinda hard for me to try to write from his point of view.

I mean, how would he actually pour out his emotions and sorrow when my mom took off for England in pursuit of her studies? Or did he compartmentalize it as one of those things that happen in life and moved on without sparing much thought to it? And only acted upon the situation when the door of opportunity opened a crack for him?

I tried asking mom to persuade him to let me read his love letters to her. At least one out the hundreds he sent, so that I can get an idea of the man behind my normally stoic dad.

It's heartwarming, knowing that despite the lack of emails, instant chat messengers and such, they made do with snail mail. I must give thanks to Pos Malaysia, for without them, there will be no us little kiddies. Hehe.

So I know for sure, that underneath all that respectable demeanor is a man who can write lovely lovely letters and sonnets to capture the heart of an adorable woman who is my mother.

Aiyo, I so hope he'll let me see one of his powerful missives. I'm sure it must be vastly different from the ones he wrote me while I was studying in Australia.

"I've banked in the money for you. I've put in some extra for the good grades you achieved during last semester."

"Everything is fine at home. Don't call back so often, it is so expensive. Write more to us instead."

"Your brother wants to write something to you. So I shall end here now. Study hard."

I think his love letters would definitely be different than those excerpts above lar.

Anyway, wish me luck in getting him to show them to me!

Aaah, this looks like something from a coastal beach, no?

Ooooh la la

Hmmmm... nah, it's the green, green grass coconut trees of home.

This post is inspired by Greenapple who asked me about my very own Green Gables in my previous post. Unfortunately, my house is not green in color. But her comment did make me think of something. Something green. Something that I'm privileged to see every morning just outside my bedroom window.

So now you know what I see when I look outside the window. Loved it as a child. Love it now.