Blogging Challenge - Sooty Version

Soots and I have had enough of Scrabble, so now we've invented a new word game. One that involves lots of words - the blogging challenge. He has given me five topics, and I have to blog about them.

1. My Maid

I don't really like to refer to my maid as a 'maid', because I (and I believe the rest of my family) consider her as practically part of the family. Which, incidentally, I think should be the case for all maids. After all, they left behind their families to make a living... its only right they get treated decently, and with love. I guess some might argue that in this time and age, many people do leave behind their families for jobs overseas, but it's not quite the same- many professionals do it by choice, or are lured by greener pastures. And they have the freedom to go out, have a life, make friends, have fun... but maids are often pretty much home bound except for weekends.

Oh well, back to my maid- she's been with us for nearly 15 years, shares a room with me, and is one of the most important people in my life. I just cannot imagine her leaving, ever! She even misses the dogs when she goes back home for visits. One day, I am going to teach her how to use msn properly... she had a brief stint with it while I was in NYC and my mum made her chat with me when she (my mum) was too lazy to.

2. Gmail

I have three gmail accounts: chengwei1405@gmail.com, chengwei.nuspe@gmail.com and iamnotsooty@gmail.com (created merely to annoy sooty). And Gmail rocks my life... rocks, I love everything about google- google chrome browser tops it all! All customizable, convenient and creative. And I combine every email account I have into one gmail account, so if there's one homepage I can't life without, it's www.gmail.com

3. Eyebrows

If I had my hp cable with me, I'd post up a picture of myself now. I finally got my eyebrows trimmed after letting them go astray for the past couple of months (I was lazy). And I am so happy with them now, nice and neat. And I wish I could help Sooty pluck his eyebrows.

4. Gaza

I honestly did not know what Gaza was until asked to blog about this. Luckily google (see why I love it?) knows all about Gaza. Apparantly, Gaza is derived from the Hebrew root for 'strong'.
And yes, the Israelis and Palestinians are fighting over it.

5. To Kill a Mockingbird

My favourite novel, ever, which deserves a revisit soon. I studied this novel for Lit during 'O' Levels and I really enjoyed it. I've read the book at least 6 times, and seriously, everytime I read it, there's always something new to enjoy about it.

In Sec 3, I went on a school trip to Alabama (where the novel was set), and one of the townsfolk told us something which I found very poignant. We were at the courthouse which Harper Lee wrote about in the novel, and apparantly, the actress who played the young girl (Scout) in the film adaptation visited the courthouse again when she was in her 60s. At that moment, standing inside there, she teared, saying that acting in that film changed her whole life.

I can certainly imagine why. The novel deals with many issues.

And one of my favourite quotations comes from this novel:
"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”
Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird 1960

I sent this quote to a dear friend during times of distress. I wonder how she is now.