Thank you!

I am very thankful. My mum went for her 1st chemo session today. The results were tremendous. The biggest tumor on her left chest has gone down a lot and her pain is relieved. I was so happy to see her joyful face after the chemo, and after it was done, she was even dancing slightly as she felt more comfortable.

I am also thankful that the medical fees that my family needs to shoulder by ourselves is reduced by half due to Medisave, Medishield, renting out rooms, and a subsidy from the drug distributor.

Although there is still half of the amount our family needs to shoulder, this is a big testament of God working to tell me that He is in control and that He will provide.

The most touching of all, my dad, whom some of you know as always very reserved and quiet, told all of us that once he gets his CPF monies next year, he will return all that we paid as he wants to shoulder the whole medical bill. To me, this is God's answer that He will take care of the bill. More beautifully, it has drawn out the caring side of my dad which we had almost forgotten existed. This incident has drawn each and everyone of us closer and more loving to one another. You know what I see? I see how God can turn a dark, difficult situation into one that is filled with hope, light and love. I see the cross of Christ being lifted and the finished work of Christ.

Thank you God for all.

Is cuteness intrinsic?

One of the big differences between Panliang and I is that (if you haven't already noticed) I have a great love for all sorts of animals, with the exception of lizards, cockroaches and nasty bugs. When I was 5 or 6, I used to comb through encyclopedias and read up about pets and wildlife; I love animal documentaries; I'm happy to get up close and personal with animals like snakes and stray dogs that most people would keep a mile from; and I nearly became an animal show presenter at the zoo (but the pay would hardly sustain our mortgage) !

As for Panliang, if I may quote his best man Yunjian's speech at our wedding, "he basically doesn't like anything furrier than him." Not cats, dogs, hamsters, nothing. But somehow, Darcy managed to convert him. Just before we got together, Panliang came over one evening to watch a movie, and Darcy promptly snuggled up to him and fell asleep on his lap. That impressed me no end. Since then, Panliang has been a furry animal convert, but one mammal he still abhors is the rat, and he absolutely can't understand why I get excited and try to look closer whenever we see one.

I found this really cute picture of a mummy and baby otter. The picture always makes me laugh and recall a conversation with Panliang that has been etched it my memory ever since.


Serene: (clicking open the picture on the computer screen) Don't you think this is cute?

Panliang stares silently at the screen for some time.

Panliang: (suspiciously, with a hint of disgust, never taking his eyes of the screen) Is it a RAT?

Serene: Of course not! It's an otter!

Panliang: (greatly relieved) Oh ok. Then it's cute.

Serene: (incredulously) You mean if I said it was a rat, it wouldn't be cute?

Panliang: Yes.

Serene: Isn't cuteness intrinsic? If it's cute, it's cute, whether or not it's a rat!

Panliang: No. If it was it was a rat, it won't be cute. But it's not a rat, so it's cute.

* * * * *

Perhaps cuteness is psychologically determined and not intrinsic to the object. The Beijing Olympics little girl is cute until you find out she's a fake. Stray cats are cute until your parents tell you they're dirty. People are normal until they become your boyfriend or girlfriend, after which, they become cute. Should the relationship fail, they lose their Cute Status, and what was once cute now annoys.

Perhaps the same logic applies to parents and babies. Objectively speaking, newborn infants are not at their most attractive (this web link is not for the faint-hearted). They are often dark, wrinkly and have scrunched-up eyes, but somehow they awaken lots of little love hearts in their parents. To the casual observer, all baby ultrasound scans look the same, and perhaps some might say that all Chinese babies look the same at birth, but I have no doubt Panliang and I will find Baby the cutest creature we have ever seen, even if we don't feel the same way about other newborn babies. She'll be cute just because she's our baby.

Tummy Flutterings

I felt baby for the first time yesterday. I was at my first pre-natal yoga session and as I lay still to relax, I felt something strange in my bump, like a big bubble rolling around. I was so stunned and excited I kept very still, hoping to feel it again - so I missed everything the instructor said for the next few minutes! And last night, as I lay in bed, I felt someone tapping my bump - from inside! Panliang and I were having a rather sombre conversation when the tapping started. Panliang got so excited he forgot everything he was saying and pressed his ear to my bump. He couldn't hear anything so he pressed his hand to my bump and was really thrilled when he felt the taps! Little taps, here and there, and we never knew when or where the next one would be. It really brought home the fact that there really is a little munchkin inside me with a life and will of her own, swimming around and doing as she pleases!

It's getting harder to move around and do things, but I'm really starting to enjoy this pregnancy. The nausea has subsided, I can see and feel my bump getting bigger. Being pregnant also shows me a different side of human nature. More people smile or stare at me more, hawkers are more accommodating to bizarre food requests, people look more mortified when they bump into me, and best of all, more people on the train pretend to be asleep when they see me!

But God - Who Speaks

I feel a need to update all you kind folks who have been praying for me and Serene. This journey of mine started from February this year. In February , I felt a sense that God wants to reveal His plans to me of where He wants to place me to serve/ work for my next step.

As such, Serene and myself signed up for our church's Korea trip to find answers. Baby came and we did not go for the trip. However, I still sensed that God wants to reveal my next step to me despite not being able to go Korea.

Interestingly my worship pastor told us to pray and focus on "Who Am I" to seek what God's plans are for each of us. This was an affirmation that what I felt from God was right.

August came and I felt that my life was going to be very stretched and challenging. I was prompted by God to read the book of Job. A verse jumped out to me and remains clearly in my mind - when Job's whole body had sores all over and his wife asked him to curse God and die. Job answered, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" That really struck me because I had heard a audio program on prayer and it mentioned that many folks pray to ask God to bless their plans, health and make their life easy. Unknowingly, God has become a means/tool to fulfill their own desires. The program proposed that prayer is a time for us to put down our own wishes and align our will to God's. Perhaps God might not heal the illness or take us away from a bad situation. In times like this, I was reminded that we cannot let external circumstances dictate how we perceive God who is love. The truth is that He has given us His Son to die for us, bringing us grace and freedom. This changed my view of prayer which is to seek God and align our thoughts to His.

September came and I had to leave for Jo'burg. It was not easy for me to leave that night as Serene was sobbing badly and I could not really bear to leave her and baby. I lost my handphone on the day I was supposed to leave. My mum's tumors came back. My world seem to crumble within and around me. Felt very tired and weak to leave that night. Felt like just giving up and staying. Serene and I prayed and God told us that this trip would help to build Serene stronger and more independent to care for herself and baby. My being away would help her to draw on her inner strength to care for herself and baby. God also reminded that our love is sustained not just with having a phone to sms each other. That our love is strong enough to withstand not even being able to have modern communication means like a handphone.

I was extremely sad on my journey to Jo'burg. I was tearing on the taxi on the plane. Images of Serene tearing kept replaying in my mind and making me sad. God spoke again and told me that this trip would make my love for Him and people increase. Serving God should help us love Him and people more. I understood that on my travel to Jo'burg as I had to put aside my family to Africa, planning for projects aimed at bringing help and care to people who are suffering from HIV/ AIDs, hopelessness, crying out for help day and night. I had to learn to love them more because God loves each one of them as much as I love Serene and baby, if not more. It was a difficult lesson for me to learn and go through.

I managed to get an auto-roam prepaid card and tap "illegally" on the wifi in my service apartment in Jo'burg. I was able to talk to Serene on the phone line, skype, sms which I thought would not be possible. These might appear to be small things but it meant so much to me when I thought I had lost the basic means to sms Serene with my handphone being lost. BTW the taxi driver returned my handphone when I came back.

Africa was amazing as well, as my earlier post talked about the preacher who spoke about how we can hold on during the most difficult of times. I am really getting a sense that God does speak in real way to me.

Came back to Singapore. Had to bring my mum to get her biopsy results and have my blood test to see if my precious baby is perfectly healthy. For those who know me, I am the squeamish type who might faint at the sight of needles and blood. It was on Monday. Tuesday I had to meet my boss because he kept pressuring me to travel more as I take on a leadership role in my organisation. He also was not very happy with my team, thinking that we did not do the work he told us to do. I began this week with much fear and stress of my blood test, my mum's biopsy results and to face my boss to talk to him.

On my way to the hospital on Mon, God spoke again, saying, "If I am with you, what more is there for you to fear?" When I met my mum, I asked her what God said to her and interestingly, she said God told her "not to fear". To me, this simple thing gave my much courage to face the blood test and my mum's doctor. I was thinking of this verse and the sweet you tube video that Cheryl sent to me and Serene of this 4-year-old girl singing "Somewhere Out There". I imagined it was my baby who would be doing this and I didn't mind facing my own fear just to know that she will be well and healthy.

Last lesson for me came on Thursday where we had a workshop on managing change. Gist of training focussed on us needing to know our core value and identity so that we can face external pressure with ease. Christ knew his purpose on earth and nothing wavered him. I knew this was the journey God has started for me. On Thursday evening, my senior pastor smsed me to wished me happy birthday and told me to pray for my own destiny. He mentioned that God prompted him to tell me this and that this "shaking" period of mine would last till next year May. I was happy and also bit tired to know that. Happy as it affirms my sense that I am to really find my core identity and calling in life. Once I find this, I am sure that my boss' incessant pressure will not push me and make me stressed and make me bend to his demands.

My shaking period is still happening, now needing to care for my beloved mum and needing to be strong. I am glad I have 'but God' who has given me His presence, His words, joy and peace. What a ride!

Names and Nasty Parents

In our hunt for a nice baby name, we've come across some weird names (and weirder parents).

A judge in New Zealand made a young girl a ward of court so that she could change the name she hated - Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.

Judge Rob Murfitt said that the name embarrassed the nine-year-old and could expose her to teasing.

He attacked a trend of giving children bizarre names, citing several examples.

Officials had blocked Sex Fruit, Keenan Got Lucy and Yeah Detroit, he said, but Number 16 Bus Shelter, Violence and Midnight Chardonnay had been allowed.

One mother wanted to name her child O.crnia using text language, but was later persuaded to use Oceania, he said.

'Social handicap'

The ruling, in the city of New Plymouth on the North Island, was handed down in February but only made public now.

The name issue emerged during a custody hearing for the young girl - who had refused to tell her friends her name and went simply by "K".

Source: BBC

I can't imagine what these parents were thinking. There was another lady (who obviously never read the Bible) who wrote in a forum that she named her daughter Jezebel because she liked the sound of it. It's like naming your child Cruella D'Vil or Hitler Ho. Closer to home, there's a toddler somewhere in Singapore who's first name is Ninjaturtle. Yes, Ninjaturtle is one word.

There are lots of things to consider when choosing a name:

• Meaning
• How it sounds - feminine / masculine / sweet / harsh
• Famous personalities associated with it (Beyonce Ho?!)
  
• Whether the grandparents can pronounce it (Believe it or not, many Chinese-speaking people can't pronounce "Serene". I've been called "XueLing", "Selene", and "Sally Pong"!)
  
• How likely it is to be mis-pronounced by strangers
  
• How it sounds in Singlish ("Elizabeth" is a beautiful name but "Ee-lee-zher-berf" isn't!)
  
• Whether it sounds like a rude English / Chinese /Hokkien phrase (We considered "Emma" till we realised that "Emma Ho" sounds a lot like "I'm a 'ho")
  
• Whether it will result in bullying / teasing (Heidi Ho!)
  
• Whether the initials spell something silly (H.O. Ho)
  
• What her future business email might look like! (oho@company.com)
• Whether she can find herself easily when she Googles her name! :)
  

On top of all that, choosing a unique and cute name may actually give your child an advantage. So you have to find something slightly weird, but not too weird.

Children who have been given strange names by their celebrity parents tend to do better in life.

New research suggests that odd names such as Princess Tiaamii or Peaches can be an advantage.

Certain sounds in a name or links with royalty can make people seem more successful, lucky or attractive, according to psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman.

His team polled more than 6,000 people to determine their perception of certain names, as part of a study to launch Edinburgh International Science Festival.

People called James and Elizabeth are seen as the most successful, Jack and Lucy the luckiest and Sophie and Ryan the most attractive.

But Lisa and Brian are the most likely to fail, Helen and John are the unluckiest and Ann and George are the least attractive.

Mr Wiseman said: "Traditional names with royal associations are viewed as highly successful and intelligent.

"Attractive female names tended to be soft-sounding and end with the 'ee' sound, whereas the sexiest males names are short and much harder sounding."

Source: Sky News

After looking through thousands of names, the one Panliang and I like best is "Arielle". It means Lion of God and it sounds gentle and feminine. The only concerns are that it might be TOO feminine, that it might be mispronounced, or worse, that she might be teased about whether her brother's name is Times New Roman or Wingdings!

Happy Birthday Panliang!

I just want to say thank you for being so loving and supportive, especially during these pregnancy months. I know it's not easy, juggling your work, travel, parents, saxaphone, and family, not to mention having to hunt cockroaches every now and then, but I think you're doing a great job. I must be one of the luckiest girls alive to have married you. *hug*

Dog Saves Owner By Dialling 911

A dog whose owner was having a seizure saved his life by calling the emergency services and barking down the line to raise the alarm.

Joe Stalnaker adopted German shepherd Buddy as an eight-week-puppy and trained him to use the phone if he began to have an attack.

Mr Stalnaker, of Scottsdale, Arizona, has suffered seizures for ten years after suffering a head injury during a military training exercise.

So when he got into difficulties, Buddy knew exactly what to do - hit the speed-dial button on the phone for 911.

On the tape of his call, he can be heard whimpering and barking after the operator answers and repeatedly asks if the caller needs help.

Police were sent to Mr Stalnaker's home, and after about three minutes Buddy can be heard barking loudly when the officers arrived.

Sergeant Mark Clark, of Scottsdale police, said Mr Stalnaker spent two days in a hospital and recovered from the seizure.

"It's pretty incredible," Sgt Clark said.

"Even the veteran dispatchers - they haven't heard of anything like this."

Mr Stalnaker's address is flagged in the force's computer system with a notification that a trained dog might call 911 when the owner was incapacitated.

Sgt Clark said Buddy has made two other 911 calls when Mr Stalnaker was having seizures.

Source: Sky News

I wonder if we could train Darcy to change nappies and sing lullabies to baby? And if he has extra time, he could vacuum the floor too.

25 Things No One Tells You About Pregnancy

They say pregnancy is a life-changing experience. It is. It's not just the bump, cravings and nausea. There are so many things I never knew about, and each time something strange happens, I google the symptom to make sure I'm normal!

1. Your hearing improves. Sounds that never bothered you before (like the hum of a neighbour's air con) keep you awake at night.
2. Your sense of smell improves.
3. You get really good at throwing up, and the colour depends on what you've recently eaten (Cherries - red. Brownies - black. Peaches - white. If you haven't eaten anything, you get bile which is the most bitter and yucky thing ever).
4. Your feet get swollen if you sit or stand for too long. (growing uterus may compress a major vena cava vein, leading to decreased blood return from the lower limbs to the heart).
5. You need to pee more often.
6. A violent sneeze or cough could cause a leak!
7. You have to wear your seat belt below your abdomen.
8. The light brown bits of you (like moles) become darker.
9. Fine hairs start growing on your tummy. Some women get a darkened line running from the belly button to the pubic bone (linea nigra).
10. Your cup size gets an upgrade.
11. Your breasts get tender and more sensitive (a light brush with a towel can really hurt!)
12. You have a permanent cold (Rhinitis: due to hormonal changes and increased blood flow to the mucous membranes).
13. Swollen and sensitive gums (due to hormones and increased blood flow).
14. Your digestion slows down.
15. You have to consume lots of fruits and liquids to avoid constipation.
16. You get heartburn (also known as acid indigestion or acid reflux) - a burning sensation in your chest, which sometimes goes up your throat.
17. Hunger pangs come on suddenly and strongly. You wake up in the middle of the night, starving.
18. You get tired easily.
19. You get backaches.
20. You get occasional sharp pains around your bump as your ligaments and muscles begin to stretch to accommodate your growing uterus.
21. Headaches are more common.
22. You get vivid, crazy and disturbing dreams at night.
23. You're more weepy. You cry over tiny things, like bad dreams.
24. You get more forgetful and absent-minded.
    
    And the clincher:
    
    
25. Your husband gets pregnancy symptoms too! There's even a term for it - Couvade: a male who experiences symptoms of pregnancy like indigestion, nausea, headaches, cravings, vivid dreams, in sympathy for his wife.
    
    

Music and spirituality

I believe music is a language which we have to communicate with our Creator. I also believe it's a language that allows us to convey our emotions, deepest beliefs, and our character with other fellow human beings.

This is one of the reasons why I love Jazz. It's a universal language that allows us to communicate things which words are not able to.

Another of my favourite pieces in which the wailing of the sax seems to convey to me the player's desire to connect with God and yearning for His presence:

Dexter Gordon

I love this you tube clip from this jazz movie called "Round Midnight". It features my favourite sax player, Dexter Gordon.

His phrasing is great, improv melodious, tells a story, his tone full, bright, big, rich and focused.

Enjoy his playing of a ballad here in a short clip from the movie!

Going home

It's with much joy and excitement that I am writing this. Whenever I am travelling, the happiest moment for me is to have my luggage checked in and the boarding pass in my hand.

Travelling always helps me appreciate Singapore so much more: the safety, convenience, food and of course my precious Serene, baby and saxophone!

In an hour's time, I will be leaving for the Tambo International airport and I will reach Singapore at 540am on Thurs, Sept 11th.

Here are some pics of the service apartment I stayed in whilst in Jo'burg:

Goat News

At least there is justice in the world - the innocent captives are set free!

DR Congo frees goats from prison

A minister in DR Congo has ordered a Kinshasa jail to release a dozen goats, which he said they were being held there illegally.

Deputy Justice Minister Claude Nyamugabo said he found the goats just in time during a routine jail visit.

The beasts were due to appear in court, charged with being sold illegally by the roadside.

The minister said many police had serious gaps in their knowledge and they would be sent for retraining.

Mr Nyamugabo was conducting a routine visit to the prison when, he said, he was astonished to discover not only humans, but a herd of goats crammed into a prison cell in the capital.

He has blamed the police for the incident.

It is not clear what will happen to their owners of the goats, who have also been imprisoned.

BBC Africa analyst Mary Harper says that given the grim state of prisons in Congo, the goats will doubtless be relieved about being spared a trial.

There was no word on what their punishment would have been, had they been found guilty.

Source: BBC

Other goats in the news:

LA city officials hire goats

Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat

Sudan's famous goat 'wife' dies

Nice people

Someone gave up his seat for the train today. A non-chinese man, of course. So far, the only strangers who have given way to me and my little bump have been non-chinese. Perhaps Chinese people are more afraid of causing offence in case the lady turns out not to be pregnant!

I am still really grateful and touched each time it happens. Until recently, I have never known what it was like to feel heavy, nauseated, tired, have a headache, aching shoulders, and walk on swollen feet - into a crowded train at Raffles Place MRT and watch with exhausted dismay all the orange seats rapidly being filled up. Mine is just a mini bump but it still is very uncomfortable to stand for long periods of time on feet that are pretending to be puffer fish.

I've taken to choosing longer travel routes where I'm more likely to get seats. I've had to stand the whole journey on the bus to and from Orchard and Upper Thomson on several occasions, and that left me exhausted and with an aching bump after that. Just the thought of going through that is enough to justify all the cab rides in the world!

Before Panliang left for South Africa, I was a bit apprehensive about how I would cope with baby by myself. It's not too bad when baby's still inside me, but I started to think about what would happen if Panliang was away and baby was ill and crying, and if I was unwell too and overcome with exhaustion with no one to turn to for help...

When I was down with the flu, I told God that I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to cope by myself and that there would be no one to help or look after me. And I heard a gentle voice that was not my own which told me - There will always be someone to take care of you. Somehow, I was comforted, strengthened and filled with joy and a sense of peace, and I knew inside that it would be alright.

And these few days, I have met with nothing but kindness. My family has been loving and supportive, buying food for me, doing things for me and spending time with me. My friends have been absolutely lovely, showing lots of concern, encouraging me, bringing me shopping, to church, helping me carry things, giving me lifts, killing cockroaches for me, and generally helping me to realise that there are people out there who love and care, and that I don't have to be superwoman and do everything by myself.

I was originally prepared to do everything myself, to move, carry, do, buy, make, clean, fix, whatever - even if it meant using up every ounce of strength and energy I had. This pregnancy has changed all that. I suddenly can't do all these things as well and as fast as I could previously. I'm suddenly not as strong, flexible, agile, and energetic as I was, and I have to depend on God and the kindness of others. It's very humbling, but at the same time, very uplifting to be the unworthy recipient of so much kindness. To all of you who have blessed our lives - Thank You.

Baby at 16 weeks

I am taking a lunch break now. We are now in the final phase of the meetings.

I am missing family and home a lot and this trip seems to be too long for good.

I looked through the photos of baby at 16 weeks that Serene sent me and felt a flutter of warmth course through my heart. I love the picture of her hand, it's almost like she is reaching out and wanting to hold our hands.

I look at the side profile of the baby and find her fabulously cute and gorgeous.

The meeting is starting and I need to pretend that I am paying attention :)

Why blog?

I am surprised at myself for constantly wanting to blog when I am alone overseas. It's very difficult for me to publish a post when I am back in Singapore, you can ask Serene :)

Perhaps, in times of solitude when you are faced with your thoughts, you have a big desire to share them with people. Telling them where you are, what you see. This is definitely the relational aspect of people, wanting to communicate and connect.

So happy to hear that Serene's tummy is getting bigger each day. Can't wait to go back to see it and touch it. Thank God that baby is growing each day! :)

But God.

Went to a South African church today. It was more like a western-style church with drums and contemporary music.

Was reminded today of the mission that Christ had when he came to earth almost 2000 years ago. His was a mission where he went down, and down and down and took all our sins. Very different when you think that today, we need to go up and be the very top.

In church, there's a sense that everyone has some sort of trial or affliction. Not hard to imagine when you live in the most dangerous city in the world where almost everyone had been robbed at least once.

Good thing the pastor did not try to offer any answer or solution as to why some very bad things happen to good people. Guess it happens regardless if you are a believer or not.

One thing he said that made sense to me is that through it all, the trials and afflictions, there is but God. Am still chewing on this in my mind. I am sure it was difficult for Jesus before he was crucified. We saw how he struggled greatly in the garden of Gethsemane. God was with Him and eventually, something so wrong and terrible like crucifixion could become a symbol of great hope for people today.

Safari tour in Johannesburg

My colleagues took us to the safari today. It was a great trip.

Never before in my life have I had such a close encounter with lions, tigers, leopards and cheetahs. It was an excellent trip.

For the lions and lioness, there were no fences or big drains (like those you find in the Singapore zoo) between you and the predators. It's only the car doors that provide security. We wound down the windows and took some great shots.

While all these were great and nice, how I wished Serene and my baby girl were here with me. I have a growing sense that I want to explain and teach things to my baby girl, holding her hand and Serene's, bringing them wherever I go.

I am so thankful that I have the phone, sms, skype, blog and email to keep in touch with Serene. Technology is wonderful! Most of all, I am thankful to God for bonding Serene and I with His Love and Spirit. The cord of 3 strands is indeed wonderful and amazing.

Here are some pics for you (Serene and Baby) and of course you buddies to enjoy:

Late night memories

Greetings from chilly Johannesburg!

It's currently 3pm and I am having a break from my meetings.

I started missing my family especially Serene, Baby and Darcy the moment I got into the taxi to the airport. I actually missed the times I woke up in the wee hours of the morning when Serene was terribly hungry or suffering from a bad cough. Those memories were sweet especially when Darcy helped to kill a cockroach. Saved me from my fear!

There was another time we actually ordered Mac's breakfast at 4am!!! Boy, I enjoyed my sausage macmuffin with egg while watching some saxophone you tube videos :)

Tomorrow, we are going to the safari to see rhinoceroses and lions. Good break from day-long meetings!

Korean Beef, Anyone?

Photo taken with Panliang's permission.

Mouthwatering beef steak at your local food court. Very popular with the ladies.

Why Every Home needs a Jack Russell

Darcy came over to stay for a few days last week to keep me company while I was on sick leave. Besides functioning as a warm, furry pillow, he made himself useful in a dozen ways, doubling up as Doorbell Amplifier, Vacuum Cleaner for Spilt Food, and most significantly, Cockroach Terminator. It was during one of my 2am midnight snack times that I saw Panliang charging determinedly (but not without some trepidation!) after a huge, black thing scuttling across the room. I always believe in finding the best man for the job so I shouted for Darcy! The next few moments were a confusion of running, jumping, "There! There! Over there!", scuffling paws, snapping jaws and furious digging. Once Darcy was on the case, Panliang and I went off to have our snack, leaving our focused and dedicated assistant to play with his new toy till it collapsed from being patted to death by a over-friendly Jack Russell. Panliang had this self-satisfied and gleeful look on his face the whole time. I think he'll be more than happy to clear up dog poo for another 10 years.