Well, I'm off to beijing to explore a new life and endless possibilities with a new job that found me. all random and sudden, but i love the spontaneity of getting on the closest convenient flight out to learn and experience new things and people.

A little bit of a 'back to roots' sort of thing and i realised quite recently that i didn't descend from the south of china like most migrants did. my roots are actually in the north, not far from Beijing as my surname 劳 identifies me. the northerners had apparently moved down south to escape the invasion of the manchus and nomadic tribes.

Lost of new discoveries to make and excellent new material for writing amongst other things.

so, i guess its hello olympic city and goodbye sim city.

the other day i walked past this shop.... it was funny and frightening at the same time because i'm afraid of ghosts.

I grew up with pagan practices- my mother still believes there is life in any inanimate object. eg. a spirit could be hiding in a giant rock, a huge fish/octopus is actually the emperor fish of the ocean or octopus spirit in disguise. Any word of mocking the situation will be dissed and she would frighten us children that if we mocked the beliefs the ghosts would come haunt us.

she would shout in cantonese 'do not talk nonsense!'

also, there is trend in the region of south east asia, where foetus' souls are taken from their mother's womb before they are born and these little ghosts are believed to help steal food/money and find out information. Apparently, this is the reason for stillborns. I don't discount it, but I believe that not all stillborns had their souls stolen. I've heard many people keeping these 'little spirits' in indonesia, thailand and even singapore. Infact, a thai friend has a little spirit friend that she feeds snacks to every other day- she says it brings good luck for her business. i've also heard countless stories of singaporeans who keep them to help them predict numbers to win the lottery or other devious activities.

do you believe in ghosts? i do.