a time for surprises and birthday cake

the best and worst part of the weekend was the surprise my mum decided to pull on me. i should have expected that she was up to something.

to say that this year has flown would be an understatement in the likes of saying that the london eye is a mere ferris wheel, or that amy winehouse has a slight substance abuse problem. the speed at which the days have passed have been at times quiet overwhelming. after all, it only seemed like yesterday when i was getting ready to leave for my overseas sojourn, eager to celebrate for the first time in a very long time my birthday with family back home. i can't believe how quickly the twelve months have flown.

on sunday, my family and i began my birthday celebrations with the typically frenetic popular chinese experience of yumcha. over serves of delicious dumplings, chinese tea and mango puddings, we spent the kind of togetherness that i've been sorely missing over the last few weeks. i didn't realise how much i've craved their company.

later that day, i headed to the radio station for our late evening broadcast. being so close to midnight on a sunday makes our show a little hard to be accessible to the usual gaggle of on-air callers. so it came as a nice surprise to hear the otherwise silent phone ring. when the call was patched through and the caller was introduced, i couldn't believe who it was on the other line. it turned out to be mum!

seldom does she listen to our show and never before had she rung, but there she was speaking with the whole crew. the reason? she wanted to pass on her birthday greets live on-air; a surprise set-up that she'd organised with the rest of the broadcasters. i turned a shade of crimson very quickly. i found it incredibly touching but also absolutely embarrassing.

i have no qualms with expressing my love to friends and family nor do i have any problems with passing on my praises to others, but when it comes to the same attention being heaped on me, i get extremely uncomfortable. i don't know why that is exactly. i can certainly theorise a number of reasons, but it really just boils down to one thing: not wanting the spotlight to be focused on me (i know, don't be shocked).

in any case, mum's surprise call wrapped up a wonderful day spent with family and friends. it also sets up the time ahead for more of the same; times that may have its embarrassing moments but one that will surely be memorable.

i can't believe my birthday has finally come around again.