my favourite bibimbap

"a good name is as precious as gold and silver"

I used to get this quotation on my autograph books (every one has countless) from my form teacher back in Pri.3/4 and I always took it literally as a consolation and suggestion to appreciate my cheena name. This is why I dread coffee places where they ask for my name for the orders. When I was much younger, I used to feel really bad about my name and wished my parents gave me pleasant-sounding ones like 'Martin', 'Joshua', 'Anthony' etc. so I can get along with people better. People get puzzled over my name often, asked if I was Vietnamese and I ended up with numerous nicknames over the years. Teabag.Teapot.Tea cup and even the brand of a sanitary pad. But I guess I lived with all of it well. Mostly with a bit of humiliation.

It was only in recent years when I came across that same quote and start to think what it all meant. Silly me. All this while she was just trying to tell me to live up to myself. There is only one 'me' and one T.P. (which I'm quite sure) and if I ever make a name for myself one day, I would really like people to remember it that way.

"Whenever you feel alone, and there's nobody you can rely on, this is all you need to know."

"You're Lisa Simpson"
-Mr. Bergstrom to Lisa on Lisa's Substitute, The Simpsons Season 2