Narrow escape
I've been remiss. Of course I knew that Tuesday was Malaysia's 47th Merdeka Day, or Independence Day ('Merdeka' meaning 'freedom' or 'independence' in Malay), but I didn't blog coz my parents were around for the long weekend. Dad took Monday off and they drove down on Saturday.
One of the first things Mom said to me was, "Can I read your blog?" (gasp)
You see, in June, one of the dailies here ran a New York Times article about compulsive bloggers, or obsessed ones. Although my parents have always known I have my own website, I've assiduously avoided using the term "blog" with them coz firstly, it's too hard to explain, and secondly, I figured Mom would have difficulty with the concept. Well, for some reason, after she read this article, Mom called and asked whether I have a blog. So I said yes. Her immediate reaction: "You write about your life and put it on the Internet? That's so dangerous! Don't!" I knew it! I knew she would say that!!!
Mom and Dad, as I've said before, kinda live in the Stone Age -- in fact, Dad's old 286 just died a few months ago (yes, some of those do still exist!). They don't have Internet access. But my uncle, with whom they were staying while they were here, does. It created opportunity.
Mom's question kinda surprised me, though, coz my parents have never shown much interest in anything I was doing apart from my studies and my piano classes. In fact, Dad wasn't interested in my piano classes at all; only Mom was. We never practised when he was at home coz he likes things to be quiet. The minute he walked in the door, down went the piano lid. Very unlike Sue, whose parents attended every softball game, every band concert, every awards ceremony and anything and everything she participated in. I used to quietly do things on my own -- for example, I never showed my parents my poems and they never asked to see.
Anyway, I was so totally not expecting it when Mom asked, "Can I read your blog?"
"Of course," I said, looking outwardly calm, while frantically trying to remember what my last five posts had been about. Anything subversive? Shocking? Overly revealing? Then I remembered I had been writing about my birthday, and took a deep relieved breath. Okay, suitable for parental viewing. Phew.
But in the hustle and bustle, Mom forgot to mention it again, and I most certainly didn't remind her. There, I'm safe till the next time my parents come down to my uncle's house again :D In the meantime, I'm off to study Blogger's article: What To Do If Your Mom Discovers Your Blog...