Powderpuff Mae

Everyone has their own secret little addictions which they indulge in private. When nobody's looking, only then we bare our true selves for fear of how others may judge us.

I have 2 addictions. First, I love to chew ice. I never knew I was addicted to chewing ice until I had this terrible cough and had to lay off ice for a few days at the doctor's instruction. I was miserable and all I could think of was ice and how good it felt in my mouth. I guess it was some sort of a withdrawal syndrome. I am still coughing but I NEED to pop in 2-3 pieces of ice a day to calm my nerves. Guess why I'm still coughing after 3 weeks.

My grandparents, mother, sister and I were introduced to a new form of addiction way back in the 80s when TV3 made its debut into our TV stations. The Chinese serial addiction. It all started with "Man in the Net" and henceforth every evening from 6pm to 8pm all 5 of us will be glued to the TV. We still had our family meals together - in front of the TV. I wasn't alone here, in fact most of my classmates and even teachers weren't spared. Chinese serials brought the students together regardless of colour, creed or religion. We had something in common to talk about at school, last night's episode.

Thankfully each of us managed to kick off that addiction. I stopped cold turkey 4 years ago due to work and family commitments. In fact I sneered at those aunties and cousins who were still bound by the shackles of TVB and Wah Lai Toi (Astro's chinese station). Pride loomed over me. I now belonged to the elite group. We only watch highly intelligent English serials like CSI, Lost and Desperate Housewives (DH) once a week. I can hardly call watching an episode of CSI, Lost and DH "once a week" an addiction as opposed to the aunties who watched their no brainer Chinese serials daily. I was such a hypocrite. Anyway they say pride comes before a downfall.

It all happened when my mother-in-law stayed with us 3 weeks ago. She was an addict, so at 6pm sharp she automatically tuned in to TV3's "War & Beauty" (current serial). Since we live in a 900 sq feet condo, there is no such thing as personal space. While she was having her daily fix, I was bombarded with TVB's evil and filth. I could hear their conversations spoken in the "palace" cantonese where the emperor refers to himself as "cham". I was tempted to take a quick peek to see who this "despicable concubine" that my mother-in-law so deeply abhors. Give the devil a foothold and within one commercial break, I was glued to the TV. I told myself I was only "drawn" to this serial "War & Beauty" because, as the title goes, it had beautiful concubines waring against each other to win the emperor's heart and they scheme, kill, steal, lie, hate, love, deceive, conspire, cry, seduce to achieve a common goal ie to be chosen to "serve" the emperor "kau kau" for the night in hope that Emperor will summon them to "serve" him every other night. But TVB will also throw in sword fighting, brothels, betrayal, greed, vengence, infidelity, jealousy and pretty faces for maximum viewing pleasure.

I have 2 addictions, chewing ice and chinese serials.