Birthday Wishes

You know, I dream about things to do on my birthday when I am bored. I especially enjoy making lists of spontaneous, zany, memorable things to do with loved ones on my birthday, whether I have them with me or not. It reminds me of the time when I was so in love and 17, when these were things I nearly did every day, and the sun was bright, the people gorgeous, and the world at my feet.

I realise my life runs like an Amelie snippet. Probably everyone's does, but mine specifically, doesn't occur in big picture but small little snapshot images, sounds, likes and dislikes that have no over arching meaning. It's almost neurotic, viz.

She wakes up before the alarm clock at 6.47am every morning with a song in her head that she hums as she brushes her teeth. She likes the feel of fabric threads against her skin and dislikes the feeling of crumbs falling on her lap (insert image of angry woman saying "I hate crumbs!").

If only everybody's life could be Lomo'fied like that.

More and more with each passing birthday, I get very specific birthday wishes and fewer and fewer gifts. It seems that every birthday after 21 deserves, not a gift, but an experience. And the quirkier the better.

So for this birthday, I would hope to celebrate the day in the following ways:

1. Having a Red Velvet cupcake with a single black candle on it (possible)
2. Running around taking a full Polaroid roll of photos to capture things that I see/feel on that day (perhaps also quite possible) - [ed. at the beach, sand, sunshine, flirty dress, smiles]
3. Owning a Polaroid camera for one (I know it's not expensive, I've always wanted one but never had it)
4. Falling asleep on my beloved's shoulder to the sound of Le Petit Prince read to me - Happy Birthday Antoine St Exupery (this is sooooo not going to happen) - if I am even more particular, it has to be read to me in French.
5. Taking the dog for a long walk/run on green, green grass (perhaps perhaps) - [ed. sand!! and if my dog could do it (which i doubt) i'd be cycling with a long lead in tow]
6. Having a $3 plate of Balestier char kway teow with extra fish cake, extra egg and extra sweet sauce (tres possible!)
7. Waking up at 6am in the morning to see the sunrise and falling asleep on the sofa in front of the TV as though it were my last day on earth
8. Sitting in a cafe that provides paper and crayons and infinite iced tea and doodling with good conversation (if Singapore still has this... I wonder)
9. Staring out into the dark marina skyline in a Ritz Carlton hotel room with very cold air conditioning (possible with some expense) - [ed. scratch this. New resolution, having an hour at Yamaha with a music studio booked, me and a piano. I've been dying to get my hands on the black/whites again.]
10. Driving around to every sentimental place of mine in Singapore (possible if I can come up with a list) - [ed. I think I want to go back to City Space again for teriyaki skewers and plenty of drinks. This will cost me, but it may be the very last time of my life for a very long time.]

Apparently having a good, memorable birthday doesn't take very much for me these days. But I'm quite serious about the Polaroid camera.