see.
Saturday, 22 January 2005
Test Drive Galore!
went test driving a whole bunch of S$60k - S$70k cars yesterday... (clockwise from top-left) Peugeot 206, Suzuki Swift, Honda Jazz, Mazda 2 ... Can you see how incredibly similar all of them look??
even tried....
the ultimate ah-beng car.. the Subaru Impreza
and the (also very identical-looking here) Skoda Fabia from the Czech Republic, though i tried the Sedan version and not the hatchback..
but mom says I shouldn't buy Continental cars cos maintenance is difficult (hard to find parts) and costly (which unfortunately is true..).. I am also very resistant to buying the Toyota Vios and the Nissan Sunny (two admittedly very great value cars now @ $59k) cos they are so incredibly common on the road... think about it: what's the point of buying an expensive new dress and then finding everyone else on Orchard Road wearing the same thing?? you know what i mean?? :p (no offence to those driving Vios and Sunnies.. ha)
which do you think it will eventually be?? :) place your bets!
went test driving a whole bunch of S$60k - S$70k cars yesterday... (clockwise from top-left) Peugeot 206, Suzuki Swift, Honda Jazz, Mazda 2 ... Can you see how incredibly similar all of them look??
even tried....
the ultimate ah-beng car.. the Subaru Impreza
and the (also very identical-looking here) Skoda Fabia from the Czech Republic, though i tried the Sedan version and not the hatchback..
but mom says I shouldn't buy Continental cars cos maintenance is difficult (hard to find parts) and costly (which unfortunately is true..).. I am also very resistant to buying the Toyota Vios and the Nissan Sunny (two admittedly very great value cars now @ $59k) cos they are so incredibly common on the road... think about it: what's the point of buying an expensive new dress and then finding everyone else on Orchard Road wearing the same thing?? you know what i mean?? :p (no offence to those driving Vios and Sunnies.. ha)
which do you think it will eventually be?? :) place your bets!
Wednesday, 12 January 2005
Sunday, 9 January 2005
"Saudi cleric blames gays, sin for tsunamis"
"In comments that have angered gay rights groups and liberal Muslims across the world, a Saudi professor and Islamic cleric has drawn links between Indian Ocean tsunami disaster and what he terms "sexual perversion."......
"These great tragedies and collective punishments that are wiping out villages, towns, cities and even entire countries are Allah's punishments of the people of these countries, even if they are Muslims," the professor at Al-Imam University said.
He said that the timing of the disaster -- just a day after Christmas -- was a "sign from Allah."
read more of this "...... " (fill in your own adjective) article
..... more "religious explanations" on the tsunami for the curious and brave.... or maybe, as this article says, "Let our primary question in the wake of this tragedy be not "Why did it happen?" but rather "What can I do to help?"..
well said.
"In comments that have angered gay rights groups and liberal Muslims across the world, a Saudi professor and Islamic cleric has drawn links between Indian Ocean tsunami disaster and what he terms "sexual perversion."......
"These great tragedies and collective punishments that are wiping out villages, towns, cities and even entire countries are Allah's punishments of the people of these countries, even if they are Muslims," the professor at Al-Imam University said.
He said that the timing of the disaster -- just a day after Christmas -- was a "sign from Allah."
read more of this "...... " (fill in your own adjective) article
..... more "religious explanations" on the tsunami for the curious and brave.... or maybe, as this article says, "Let our primary question in the wake of this tragedy be not "Why did it happen?" but rather "What can I do to help?"..
well said.
Women who matter
Women who impressed, inspired and/or amused me recently:
Margaret Cho and her article "Why must I bleed alone?" (via Otterman)
Dr Jane Goodall and the Roots and Shoots program (at the Jane Goodall Institute) to inspire youths of all ages to make a difference by becoming involved in their communities.
Miranda Mimi Kuo and her photographs of women in China (her exhibition is now on at the linkway to the Esplanade - go see it! it's fantastic!)
Women who impressed, inspired and/or amused me recently:
Margaret Cho and her article "Why must I bleed alone?" (via Otterman)
Dr Jane Goodall and the Roots and Shoots program (at the Jane Goodall Institute) to inspire youths of all ages to make a difference by becoming involved in their communities.
Miranda Mimi Kuo and her photographs of women in China (her exhibition is now on at the linkway to the Esplanade - go see it! it's fantastic!)
Happy Birthday To Me and A Letter From Singapore
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me-e
Happy Birthday to me
finally, i've hit the big 3.. to another great decade of adventure and learning! kai says it best - read here ..
anyway, someone just forwarded me this personal account of the relief efforts going on now in Singapore, which I can only describe as wonderfully truthful, appropriately emotional, fantastically insightful and definitely a good read, no less, capturing perfectly the mood, excitement, tears and joys of a moment (in history) such as this one.. I'll put it here to share it with you all..
"I started smoking again, and am living off of whatever scraps of tidbits I had hoarded at my desk and cans of expired beer I find in corners. We are all beginning to stumble and slur from exhaustion.
But somehow we can still manage to get things done. Yesterday, we just delivered a mobile air traffic control tower to Banda Aceh. A MOBILE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER - who even knew there were such things?
Banda Aceh Airport was badly hit, and they've been trying to control air traffic out of tents! Now, with this tower (worth millions, but I can't disclose), the airport will have all-weather capability and we will have essentially established another link from the world into Indonesia.
I say another, because over the last week, we established TWO landing sites off the coast of Meulaboh. This is pretty fucking phenomenal. Until then, the worst hit parts of Indonesia were inaccesible to the world. You couldn't reach it by air, sea, or land. With great difficulty and danger, we beached two Helicopter Landing Ships off the coast, and half or more of our national strength of Chinooks and Super Pumas are ferrying supplies and people non-stop into the place. This is not counting the C-130s that have already been deployed to fly supplies over to Indonesia and Thailand. I think we also loaned two landing craft to the TNI Navy. Among the things we bring in are ambulances, tracked vehicles (for riding straight over debris which cant be cleared), medical supplies, water bags, etc. Around now, a portable water desalination plant is being delivered to the Maldives. It will produce enough water every day to feed 1/3 of the population of the Maldives. More desalination and purification plants are on their way to the Maldives and Indonesia. Holy mother, isn't this incredible? And that's just the Singapore side of things - the mind reels when thinking about the global aggregate of action going on.
And people. We are supplying people. What people! We have disaster assistance and relief teams, medical teams, forensic teams, consular teams, disaster victim identification teams, counselling teams. We even set up a field hospital with surgical capability. As I watched a video yesterday of our boys in blue saluting the Commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force before they went off to Aceh, I choked. We are now sending 2nd and 3rd waves of people to relieve the 1st teams, but the 1st teams don't want to come back.
Back home, we all wish we could be there clearing rubble with our boys, but there is work that needs to be done too. Like manning the consular lines for next of kin who are panicking and distraught. And trying desperately to piece together a big picture of all that's happening. Receiving and trying to meet the requests for relief pouring in from the different countries, and also trying to make the logistics work for the dozens of companies and individuals who want to fly/ship out millions of dollars' worth of relief to the affected countries. So our air and sea ports are waiving all charges related to moving relief supplies, which will soon rack up to millions of dollars, I'm sure. Our air and naval bases have been opened to the world, and crafts from all over the world are stopping over for refuelling, etc. And our national carrier is stocked to spilling carrying supplies for free to tsunami-hit places. And every so often we will get millionaires telling us their private jets and staff are at our disposal.
All this is incredibly human work. You want to break down in tears, you are exploding with adrenalin. For example, someone might call and ask you what they should do with the body of their baby which they just found. Or beg you to search such and such an island for their missing relative. And you need to translate that desperation into the deployment of helicopters and armed forces personnel - if we had the time to stop and reflect on it, we would be struck dumb by what we are all doing. We would probably be paralysed.
Of course, the next generation of work must already be underway even as the emergency relief continues. By that, I mean things like the Regional Coordination Centre - everyone can see that the recovery and reconstruction work will take over a decade and billions of dollars, AND the combined effort of the world. Things like getting a UN Special Rep appointed to oversee this. Like banging down bureaucratic and political doors to make agencies and governments work together. Or even little lackeys like me quickly figuring out a way to stay alive, coherent, and useful on this amount of sleep.
Of course, Singapore is just one of many countries, all of whom are doing fantastic work. I can only tell you what Singapore is doing, because that's where I am. But everyone, everyone is in overdrive. I am always told I make a lousy diplomat because I get moved by such things, but I can't help it. You should be here. You should feel this. There is, expectedly, politics going on when so many countries are involved.
But there is also marvellous humanity and generosity at work. For an innocent like me, I only hope that the latter do not get too corrupted by dark clouds which are already beginning to gather, like the actions of terrorists and separatists, tussles between governments, games of hollow one-up-manship.
If you can't be here, find a way to do something.
Lobby your politicians to drop the games, put the news out there that what we need is regional and international coordination (whatever modalities work best, we should take them, this is not the time to split hairs), speak up for a long-term sustained commitment (I dread the next natural disaster or celebrity lawsuit, when all eyes will turn from tsunami-hit Asia), don't let people continue to talk along artificial lines like the UN vs the US (the buggers have been working together since Day 1, you can believe it), correct this unfair notion that Indonesia is not doing well in getting the supplies out to the people (understand that the roads are inaccessible, and practically the whole of the freaking health and administrative service in Aceh are wiped out), and all kinds of things.
You may not hear from me again in a while. I have a feeling I may descend further in stupour. But at a time like this, I think and miss you. I hope you all take care of yourselves and do something to help the poor and the vulnerable. If anyone knows someone who will build a home for orphans, I will run it."
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me-e
Happy Birthday to me
finally, i've hit the big 3.. to another great decade of adventure and learning! kai says it best - read here ..
anyway, someone just forwarded me this personal account of the relief efforts going on now in Singapore, which I can only describe as wonderfully truthful, appropriately emotional, fantastically insightful and definitely a good read, no less, capturing perfectly the mood, excitement, tears and joys of a moment (in history) such as this one.. I'll put it here to share it with you all..
"I started smoking again, and am living off of whatever scraps of tidbits I had hoarded at my desk and cans of expired beer I find in corners. We are all beginning to stumble and slur from exhaustion.
But somehow we can still manage to get things done. Yesterday, we just delivered a mobile air traffic control tower to Banda Aceh. A MOBILE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER - who even knew there were such things?
Banda Aceh Airport was badly hit, and they've been trying to control air traffic out of tents! Now, with this tower (worth millions, but I can't disclose), the airport will have all-weather capability and we will have essentially established another link from the world into Indonesia.
I say another, because over the last week, we established TWO landing sites off the coast of Meulaboh. This is pretty fucking phenomenal. Until then, the worst hit parts of Indonesia were inaccesible to the world. You couldn't reach it by air, sea, or land. With great difficulty and danger, we beached two Helicopter Landing Ships off the coast, and half or more of our national strength of Chinooks and Super Pumas are ferrying supplies and people non-stop into the place. This is not counting the C-130s that have already been deployed to fly supplies over to Indonesia and Thailand. I think we also loaned two landing craft to the TNI Navy. Among the things we bring in are ambulances, tracked vehicles (for riding straight over debris which cant be cleared), medical supplies, water bags, etc. Around now, a portable water desalination plant is being delivered to the Maldives. It will produce enough water every day to feed 1/3 of the population of the Maldives. More desalination and purification plants are on their way to the Maldives and Indonesia. Holy mother, isn't this incredible? And that's just the Singapore side of things - the mind reels when thinking about the global aggregate of action going on.
And people. We are supplying people. What people! We have disaster assistance and relief teams, medical teams, forensic teams, consular teams, disaster victim identification teams, counselling teams. We even set up a field hospital with surgical capability. As I watched a video yesterday of our boys in blue saluting the Commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force before they went off to Aceh, I choked. We are now sending 2nd and 3rd waves of people to relieve the 1st teams, but the 1st teams don't want to come back.
Back home, we all wish we could be there clearing rubble with our boys, but there is work that needs to be done too. Like manning the consular lines for next of kin who are panicking and distraught. And trying desperately to piece together a big picture of all that's happening. Receiving and trying to meet the requests for relief pouring in from the different countries, and also trying to make the logistics work for the dozens of companies and individuals who want to fly/ship out millions of dollars' worth of relief to the affected countries. So our air and sea ports are waiving all charges related to moving relief supplies, which will soon rack up to millions of dollars, I'm sure. Our air and naval bases have been opened to the world, and crafts from all over the world are stopping over for refuelling, etc. And our national carrier is stocked to spilling carrying supplies for free to tsunami-hit places. And every so often we will get millionaires telling us their private jets and staff are at our disposal.
All this is incredibly human work. You want to break down in tears, you are exploding with adrenalin. For example, someone might call and ask you what they should do with the body of their baby which they just found. Or beg you to search such and such an island for their missing relative. And you need to translate that desperation into the deployment of helicopters and armed forces personnel - if we had the time to stop and reflect on it, we would be struck dumb by what we are all doing. We would probably be paralysed.
Of course, the next generation of work must already be underway even as the emergency relief continues. By that, I mean things like the Regional Coordination Centre - everyone can see that the recovery and reconstruction work will take over a decade and billions of dollars, AND the combined effort of the world. Things like getting a UN Special Rep appointed to oversee this. Like banging down bureaucratic and political doors to make agencies and governments work together. Or even little lackeys like me quickly figuring out a way to stay alive, coherent, and useful on this amount of sleep.
Of course, Singapore is just one of many countries, all of whom are doing fantastic work. I can only tell you what Singapore is doing, because that's where I am. But everyone, everyone is in overdrive. I am always told I make a lousy diplomat because I get moved by such things, but I can't help it. You should be here. You should feel this. There is, expectedly, politics going on when so many countries are involved.
But there is also marvellous humanity and generosity at work. For an innocent like me, I only hope that the latter do not get too corrupted by dark clouds which are already beginning to gather, like the actions of terrorists and separatists, tussles between governments, games of hollow one-up-manship.
If you can't be here, find a way to do something.
Lobby your politicians to drop the games, put the news out there that what we need is regional and international coordination (whatever modalities work best, we should take them, this is not the time to split hairs), speak up for a long-term sustained commitment (I dread the next natural disaster or celebrity lawsuit, when all eyes will turn from tsunami-hit Asia), don't let people continue to talk along artificial lines like the UN vs the US (the buggers have been working together since Day 1, you can believe it), correct this unfair notion that Indonesia is not doing well in getting the supplies out to the people (understand that the roads are inaccessible, and practically the whole of the freaking health and administrative service in Aceh are wiped out), and all kinds of things.
You may not hear from me again in a while. I have a feeling I may descend further in stupour. But at a time like this, I think and miss you. I hope you all take care of yourselves and do something to help the poor and the vulnerable. If anyone knows someone who will build a home for orphans, I will run it."
Wednesday, 5 January 2005
Two places not mentioned much in the news...
More than 400 could be dead in Burma
More than 400 people could be killed in Burma by the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis which struck the coasts surrounding the Indian Ocean on 26 December, according to reliable reports received by DVB.
read more
50,000 need assistance in Somalia
NAIROBI, Kenya - At least 50,000 people in Somalia urgently need food, water, shelter and medical care a week after deadly tsunamis slammed African shores, officials said Monday.
Some 24 countries, including the United States, have pledged to send relief supplies to Somalia, but nothing has arrived on the ground, said Somali presidential spokesman Yusuf Mohamed Ismail. He said survivors urgently need help after losing their homes and livelihoods.
read more
More than 400 could be dead in Burma
More than 400 people could be killed in Burma by the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis which struck the coasts surrounding the Indian Ocean on 26 December, according to reliable reports received by DVB.
read more
50,000 need assistance in Somalia
NAIROBI, Kenya - At least 50,000 people in Somalia urgently need food, water, shelter and medical care a week after deadly tsunamis slammed African shores, officials said Monday.
Some 24 countries, including the United States, have pledged to send relief supplies to Somalia, but nothing has arrived on the ground, said Somali presidential spokesman Yusuf Mohamed Ismail. He said survivors urgently need help after losing their homes and livelihoods.
read more
Tuesday, 4 January 2005
Tsunami SMS hoax
wicked and/or gullible individuals are passing around sms hoaxes trying to destroy the credibility of Mercy Relief's fund raising efforts for the Tsunami victims..
one of these poorly-worded messages reads: "Please Do not call this 2 no. 19009111110 to donate $10 or 1900-9111150($50)This is a cheated money calls, confirmed by SRCS Pls help 2 pass e msg"
Mercy Relief is genuinely helping the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRCS) to raise funds. I've checked with the Red Cross directly on the phone and they're aware of this hoax going around.
it's so unfortunate and unbelieveable that certain individuals out there can see this as an opportunity for a childish prank, capitalising on the fears of others out there.
wicked and/or gullible individuals are passing around sms hoaxes trying to destroy the credibility of Mercy Relief's fund raising efforts for the Tsunami victims..
one of these poorly-worded messages reads: "Please Do not call this 2 no. 19009111110 to donate $10 or 1900-9111150($50)This is a cheated money calls, confirmed by SRCS Pls help 2 pass e msg"
Mercy Relief is genuinely helping the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRCS) to raise funds. I've checked with the Red Cross directly on the phone and they're aware of this hoax going around.
it's so unfortunate and unbelieveable that certain individuals out there can see this as an opportunity for a childish prank, capitalising on the fears of others out there.
Wednesday, 29 December 2004
Bali Montage (*warning - rather large image file - 155.22 KB)
the wonderful feelings from my very recent trip to Bali (I arrived back only on the 26th Dec evening!) are sadly marred by the devastating news of the (still hard to believe) huge natural disaster that has befallen a large part of the region that I come from..
although fortunate to have chosen my holiday in a safe part of the region (thanks be to God*), my heart still wrenches continually from watching the updated reports on TV and reading of it on the Internet and in the newspapers...
:(
via email: Let's Help... (Full List)
A list of emergency items needed for the survivors of the recent disaster.
1. Tents
2. Food (Pre-cooked or ready-to-eat meal packs)
3. Water Purification Tablets
4. Wheat Flour, rice, other staples
5. Drugs: Paracetamol, anti-biotics, wound dressing, suture material, disposable syringes, vitamins, and vaccinations for diarrhea, cholera and malaria.
6. Intravenous infusion (saline and dextrose)
7. Portable generators
For small parcels/items, please have them sent to the Sri Lankan Airlines office at
133 Cecil Street, Keck Seng Tower #13-02 Singapore 069535. Tel : 6223-6353
For medium-sized and large donations, contact Sri Lankan Airlines at 62236353 and a staff member will make arrangements to collect items from your office either with their personal vehicles or with a logistics operator.
* in Oct this year, i was planning to go on an end of the year dive trip to the Maldives. then in mid Nov, my supposed dive buddy became too overwhelmed with work and we considered changing our trip to a week long Sri Lanka trip instead, though eventually, that also fell through. Then in mid Dec, another friend returned from abroad and we excitedly set out to plan a week long liveaboard trip to the Similans, off Phuket, where the end of the year normally corresponds with the peak diving season. We were even in the midst of arranging our air tickets. Then his grandma fell ill and we decided to shorten that to either a diving weekend off Langkawi or Batam instead. We settled for the latter for novelty reasons. The disappointment from the missed Sri Lanka trip was also more than made up for by another opportunity, to go to Bali (possibly with free accommodation on someone's time share voucher) over Christmas. And hence, it was Bintan and Bali I went to eventually and (yes, in case u haven't realised, i've just listed all the hard hit places above in my entry) and I am safe... I believe i am watched by angels..
the wonderful feelings from my very recent trip to Bali (I arrived back only on the 26th Dec evening!) are sadly marred by the devastating news of the (still hard to believe) huge natural disaster that has befallen a large part of the region that I come from..
although fortunate to have chosen my holiday in a safe part of the region (thanks be to God*), my heart still wrenches continually from watching the updated reports on TV and reading of it on the Internet and in the newspapers...
:(
via email: Let's Help... (Full List)
A list of emergency items needed for the survivors of the recent disaster.
1. Tents
2. Food (Pre-cooked or ready-to-eat meal packs)
3. Water Purification Tablets
4. Wheat Flour, rice, other staples
5. Drugs: Paracetamol, anti-biotics, wound dressing, suture material, disposable syringes, vitamins, and vaccinations for diarrhea, cholera and malaria.
6. Intravenous infusion (saline and dextrose)
7. Portable generators
For small parcels/items, please have them sent to the Sri Lankan Airlines office at
133 Cecil Street, Keck Seng Tower #13-02 Singapore 069535. Tel : 6223-6353
For medium-sized and large donations, contact Sri Lankan Airlines at 62236353 and a staff member will make arrangements to collect items from your office either with their personal vehicles or with a logistics operator.
* in Oct this year, i was planning to go on an end of the year dive trip to the Maldives. then in mid Nov, my supposed dive buddy became too overwhelmed with work and we considered changing our trip to a week long Sri Lanka trip instead, though eventually, that also fell through. Then in mid Dec, another friend returned from abroad and we excitedly set out to plan a week long liveaboard trip to the Similans, off Phuket, where the end of the year normally corresponds with the peak diving season. We were even in the midst of arranging our air tickets. Then his grandma fell ill and we decided to shorten that to either a diving weekend off Langkawi or Batam instead. We settled for the latter for novelty reasons. The disappointment from the missed Sri Lanka trip was also more than made up for by another opportunity, to go to Bali (possibly with free accommodation on someone's time share voucher) over Christmas. And hence, it was Bintan and Bali I went to eventually and (yes, in case u haven't realised, i've just listed all the hard hit places above in my entry) and I am safe... I believe i am watched by angels..
Tuesday, 21 December 2004
Thursday, 16 December 2004
diving!
looks like i'm going to be doing not just one dive trip, but two! :)
this weekend, i'm diving Riau! just off Batam! (see site)
while in Bali, i'll dive Tulamben! (see site)
see nauseating Tulamben wreck underwater panorama - Full Screen QTVR from panoramas.dk..
cool! DIVING! :D
looks like i'm going to be doing not just one dive trip, but two! :)
this weekend, i'm diving Riau! just off Batam! (see site)
while in Bali, i'll dive Tulamben! (see site)
see nauseating Tulamben wreck underwater panorama - Full Screen QTVR from panoramas.dk..
cool! DIVING! :D
All Look Same
hahaha... check out this ALL LOOK SAME test i just took (courtesy of my good friend Lynn)
these are my results:
I suck!!! way below average!! hahaha... Chinese, Japs and Koreans really all look the same to me!!
I'm so ang moh...:p
hahaha... check out this ALL LOOK SAME test i just took (courtesy of my good friend Lynn)
these are my results:
I suck!!! way below average!! hahaha... Chinese, Japs and Koreans really all look the same to me!!
I'm so ang moh...:p
Wednesday, 15 December 2004
The Incredibles..
Edna Mode in the show is doubtlessly my favourite character...
appears that she had many people wondering, after the show, which real life person she was modelled after...
taken from The Disney Blog: "Edna Mode is Edith Head - Don't click on this link until you've already seen The Incredibles. However, once you have, you need to see how similar Edna Mode is to Edith Head" .. wow!
or could it be..
taken from this site.. "based on diminutive actress Linda Hunt's portrayal of fashionista Regina Krumm in Robert Altman's Prêt-à-Porter. " .. guess we'll never know..
- see extreme left
see also the Incredibles "TV Spot 7 Edna Mode" Movie Trailer .. very funny..
Edna Mode in the show is doubtlessly my favourite character...
appears that she had many people wondering, after the show, which real life person she was modelled after...
taken from The Disney Blog: "Edna Mode is Edith Head - Don't click on this link until you've already seen The Incredibles. However, once you have, you need to see how similar Edna Mode is to Edith Head" .. wow!
or could it be..
taken from this site.. "based on diminutive actress Linda Hunt's portrayal of fashionista Regina Krumm in Robert Altman's Prêt-à-Porter. " .. guess we'll never know..
- see extreme left
see also the Incredibles "TV Spot 7 Edna Mode" Movie Trailer .. very funny..
Monday, 13 December 2004
|
You Are a Hunter Soul |
You are driven and ambitious - totally self motivated to succeed. Actively working to achieve what you want, you are skillful in many areas. You are a natural predator with strong instincts ... and more than a little demanding. You are creative, energetic, and an extremely powerful force. An outdoors person, you like animals and relate to them better than people. You tend to have an explosive personality, but also a good sense of humor. People sometimes see you as arrogant or a know it all. You tend to be a bit of a loner, though you hate to be alone. Souls you are most compatible with: Seeker Soul and Peacemaker Soul |
National Kayak Marathon 2004
ha, no, i didn't take part though i sure wished i could have ... i mean, what could be nicer than sweating out with a large group of people on a nice sunday morning on singapore river?? ha. :) ok ok.. i just like mass sporty events like these i guess ... there's always this "sporty" spirit in the air and you somehow always get so inspired to set health and fitness-type resolutions for next year.. to get all tanned and toned and fighting fit.. ha... anyway, i was there to "chaperone" a group of "kids" (yes, we call 17/18 year-olds that.. i think it's a teacher thing though i'm not sure why coz that usually conjures up images of toddlers and bratty 10 year olds in shopping malls.. )
anyway, this was what it looked like, in case u didn't watch the news last night..
watching all that fresh-faced eagerness, all the determination on the faces of the participants to race to the end. kayaks sloshing and slicing through yucky green water, the clockwork see-saw motion of paddles, the beautifully synchronised moves of the front and back paddlers for the double kayaks, the skilful manoeuvering of boats that have swung too close to each other, the occasional capsize or two for the not so skilful ones.. the 200+ boats raced along the course that brought them down Singapore River, past the Merlion, all around Kallang Basin and Pebble Bay, and back past Nicoll Highway and into Kallang Park, and then round again.. a total distance of 25km or so (route))
but yet, the most interesting thing i saw yesterday was...
other than the frantic racing....
or the occasional eye-brow raisingly nice bod with rippled muscles...
unbeknownst to the participants...
this rather disturbing thing that was in the water..
amidst the other less interesting flotsam...
swollen like a balloon...
quite about to pop...
pretty gross.
ha, no, i didn't take part though i sure wished i could have ... i mean, what could be nicer than sweating out with a large group of people on a nice sunday morning on singapore river?? ha. :) ok ok.. i just like mass sporty events like these i guess ... there's always this "sporty" spirit in the air and you somehow always get so inspired to set health and fitness-type resolutions for next year.. to get all tanned and toned and fighting fit.. ha... anyway, i was there to "chaperone" a group of "kids" (yes, we call 17/18 year-olds that.. i think it's a teacher thing though i'm not sure why coz that usually conjures up images of toddlers and bratty 10 year olds in shopping malls.. )
anyway, this was what it looked like, in case u didn't watch the news last night..
watching all that fresh-faced eagerness, all the determination on the faces of the participants to race to the end. kayaks sloshing and slicing through yucky green water, the clockwork see-saw motion of paddles, the beautifully synchronised moves of the front and back paddlers for the double kayaks, the skilful manoeuvering of boats that have swung too close to each other, the occasional capsize or two for the not so skilful ones.. the 200+ boats raced along the course that brought them down Singapore River, past the Merlion, all around Kallang Basin and Pebble Bay, and back past Nicoll Highway and into Kallang Park, and then round again.. a total distance of 25km or so (route))
but yet, the most interesting thing i saw yesterday was...
other than the frantic racing....
or the occasional eye-brow raisingly nice bod with rippled muscles...
unbeknownst to the participants...
this rather disturbing thing that was in the water..
amidst the other less interesting flotsam...
swollen like a balloon...
quite about to pop...
pretty gross.
Friday, 10 December 2004
The Socratic Traveller
this being the season where foes, friends and family take off to new places to see new faces, here are some great tips i have taken from the book "Socrates Way" by Ronald Gross to share with you, that you may want to keep in mind to get the most out of your travels:
1. Free your mind from preconceptions about your destination so you can see it with fresh eyes.
2. Ask good questions about the places and people you visit before, during, and after your trip.
3. Seek out experiences, not just things to buy.
4. Look for the values that motivate the people you visit.
5. As what you can learn about yourself in the particular places and among the people you meet.
6. Seek out the most interesting range of different people and places.
7. Come home with your soul strengthened by your travels.
Remember~ you're leaving home to find diversity and stimulation! :) Leave your biases at home and enjoy yourself!
*afterthought - one of the most annoying and mechanical responses i have heard from many Singaporeans from their travels is "Oh! I have learnt that I am sooooo lucky to be living in Singapore that everything works! blah blah.. so dirty there.. so poor.. shops close so early.. "
no doubt gratitude is good (thanks to our very efficient government and certainly some laudable policies they have implemented), but surely there is something worthy to be noted in the other countries as well, no? look at the relaxed smiles of the people! the free enterprise! the spirit of the people -yes, even the ones who try to rip you off! for it seems to me that for the entire duration of the holiday, these people have done little else than compared Singapore to what these places didn't offer, rather than focused on what they could learn and what these places and people had that we didnt'.
keep an open mind, i always say, DON'T WASTE YOUR HOLIDAY!!
this being the season where foes, friends and family take off to new places to see new faces, here are some great tips i have taken from the book "Socrates Way" by Ronald Gross to share with you, that you may want to keep in mind to get the most out of your travels:
1. Free your mind from preconceptions about your destination so you can see it with fresh eyes.
2. Ask good questions about the places and people you visit before, during, and after your trip.
3. Seek out experiences, not just things to buy.
4. Look for the values that motivate the people you visit.
5. As what you can learn about yourself in the particular places and among the people you meet.
6. Seek out the most interesting range of different people and places.
7. Come home with your soul strengthened by your travels.
Remember~ you're leaving home to find diversity and stimulation! :) Leave your biases at home and enjoy yourself!
*afterthought - one of the most annoying and mechanical responses i have heard from many Singaporeans from their travels is "Oh! I have learnt that I am sooooo lucky to be living in Singapore that everything works! blah blah.. so dirty there.. so poor.. shops close so early.. "
no doubt gratitude is good (thanks to our very efficient government and certainly some laudable policies they have implemented), but surely there is something worthy to be noted in the other countries as well, no? look at the relaxed smiles of the people! the free enterprise! the spirit of the people -yes, even the ones who try to rip you off! for it seems to me that for the entire duration of the holiday, these people have done little else than compared Singapore to what these places didn't offer, rather than focused on what they could learn and what these places and people had that we didnt'.
keep an open mind, i always say, DON'T WASTE YOUR HOLIDAY!!
Thursday, 9 December 2004
Movies I Watched in 2004
1. De Lovely (2004)
2. Old Boy (2004)
3. The Incredibles (2004)
4. Shrek 2 (2004)
5. Love Me If You Dare (2004)
6. The Village (2004)
7. Vanity Fair (2004)
8. Ju-On (2004)
9. Hero (2004)
10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
11. Santa vs. the Snowman (2002)
12. The Story of the Weeping Camel (2004)
13. Clean (2004)
14. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)
15. Goodbye Lenin! (2004)
16. Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
17. Facing Windows (2004)
18. Irreversible (2003)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
20. Last Life in the Universe (2004)
21. The Passion of The Christ (2004)
22. TaeGukGi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)
23. Big Fish (2003)
24. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
25. Lost in Translation (2003)
26. The Last Samurai (2003)
27. The Return (2004)
28. Shutter (2004)
29. Le Choristes (2004)
30. Quill (2004)
31. Travellers and Magicians (2004)
very strange assortment.. not as many as some of my movie fanatic friends, though i'm sure i missed out some.. quite hard to recall after so long.... and certainly, on closer scrutiny, you will realise that i have actually missed many of the so-called blockbusters, including even Lord of the Rings 3!! (i didnt' see that last year cos i was out of the country..) bad timing lor...
this page on yahoo movies allows you to compile your own list but it doesn't have everything..
1. De Lovely (2004)
2. Old Boy (2004)
3. The Incredibles (2004)
4. Shrek 2 (2004)
5. Love Me If You Dare (2004)
6. The Village (2004)
7. Vanity Fair (2004)
8. Ju-On (2004)
9. Hero (2004)
10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
11. Santa vs. the Snowman (2002)
12. The Story of the Weeping Camel (2004)
13. Clean (2004)
14. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)
15. Goodbye Lenin! (2004)
16. Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
17. Facing Windows (2004)
18. Irreversible (2003)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
20. Last Life in the Universe (2004)
21. The Passion of The Christ (2004)
22. TaeGukGi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)
23. Big Fish (2003)
24. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
25. Lost in Translation (2003)
26. The Last Samurai (2003)
27. The Return (2004)
28. Shutter (2004)
29. Le Choristes (2004)
30. Quill (2004)
31. Travellers and Magicians (2004)
very strange assortment.. not as many as some of my movie fanatic friends, though i'm sure i missed out some.. quite hard to recall after so long.... and certainly, on closer scrutiny, you will realise that i have actually missed many of the so-called blockbusters, including even Lord of the Rings 3!! (i didnt' see that last year cos i was out of the country..) bad timing lor...
this page on yahoo movies allows you to compile your own list but it doesn't have everything..
Wednesday, 8 December 2004
portable music mania
".......two fans of MP3 players reveal that they have become so attached to their devices, that they refer to these devices as 'darling' and 'pal'. Their players are with them all the time...on the bus, in the gym, and yes, even in bed. It is the first thing they see when they wake up and the last 'toy' they play with before going to sleep.
They would rather be late for work than forget to pack it into their bags. That's how important that gadget called an MP3 player has become in their lives. Doesn't that give you a little insight into why the competition between the manufacturers of digital music players is heating up?"
(from ST Digital Life)
that sounds just like me!! :O wahahahah... check out Pingu protectiing my yet-unnamed iPod...
any suggestions for names??
".......two fans of MP3 players reveal that they have become so attached to their devices, that they refer to these devices as 'darling' and 'pal'. Their players are with them all the time...on the bus, in the gym, and yes, even in bed. It is the first thing they see when they wake up and the last 'toy' they play with before going to sleep.
They would rather be late for work than forget to pack it into their bags. That's how important that gadget called an MP3 player has become in their lives. Doesn't that give you a little insight into why the competition between the manufacturers of digital music players is heating up?"
(from ST Digital Life)
that sounds just like me!! :O wahahahah... check out Pingu protectiing my yet-unnamed iPod...
any suggestions for names??
Monday, 6 December 2004
standard chartered marathon 2004
no, that is not me.. i am not so stylish when i run... just thought it is a nice and inspiring picture..
in fact, yesterday's half marahon (21.1km) run for me was excruciatingly painful.. started cramping up after hitting the first 10km. had to limp to the medics and they gave me some strange oil to massage my thighs.. felt better but then the leg cramps started coming again on and off.. and i also felt continually dehydrated and my toes began to curl up involuntarily ... very very uncomfortable.. and not to mention my coughing and wheezing and choking on my phlegm (from my month-old cough).. grrr...
walked, hobbled, jogged all the way to the finish line, looking real terrible when i finally crossed it... lucky i wasn't the last to come in. ha. not too bad a timing too considering how little training i had before the run.. sigh.. in fact, i think the last time i ran was a good 2 months ago! darn the wicked flu bug...
sigh, next year, i swear i'm going to keep healthy all year round so i can get all my training properly done and come in blazing like the woman in the picture* above!
*i'll check the official photo website in two days' time to see if any photographer caught my picture as i crossed the line. i'll post it up to show u how bad i look when i came in... haha.. :p
Update:
here's how i looked as i approached and then crossed the finish line.. not too bad but rather sloppy, don't u think?.. i need new shorts.. ha.. anyway, i found a few other pictures of me but they were way too odd to put up... you should just see the expressions! haha.. see if u r clever enough to find them yourself online, ya? :p
no, that is not me.. i am not so stylish when i run... just thought it is a nice and inspiring picture..
in fact, yesterday's half marahon (21.1km) run for me was excruciatingly painful.. started cramping up after hitting the first 10km. had to limp to the medics and they gave me some strange oil to massage my thighs.. felt better but then the leg cramps started coming again on and off.. and i also felt continually dehydrated and my toes began to curl up involuntarily ... very very uncomfortable.. and not to mention my coughing and wheezing and choking on my phlegm (from my month-old cough).. grrr...
walked, hobbled, jogged all the way to the finish line, looking real terrible when i finally crossed it... lucky i wasn't the last to come in. ha. not too bad a timing too considering how little training i had before the run.. sigh.. in fact, i think the last time i ran was a good 2 months ago! darn the wicked flu bug...
sigh, next year, i swear i'm going to keep healthy all year round so i can get all my training properly done and come in blazing like the woman in the picture* above!
*i'll check the official photo website in two days' time to see if any photographer caught my picture as i crossed the line. i'll post it up to show u how bad i look when i came in... haha.. :p
Update:
here's how i looked as i approached and then crossed the finish line.. not too bad but rather sloppy, don't u think?.. i need new shorts.. ha.. anyway, i found a few other pictures of me but they were way too odd to put up... you should just see the expressions! haha.. see if u r clever enough to find them yourself online, ya? :p
Friday, 3 December 2004
Where the Jobs Are!
the statistics below relate to the US economy but they could well provide a highly probable picture of the direction our own economy is going as well.
This "hierarchy of human talents" shows how American jobs are changing as a result of greater productivity.
- People Skills (financial services, nursing, teaching and such)
- Imagination and Creativity (acting and a host of others)
- Analytic Reasoning
- Formulaic Intelligence (book keepers, secretaries, phone operators, etc.)
- Manual Dexterity
- Muscle Power
"Those who earn their living with muscle power, manual dexterity or formulaic intelligence are increasingly finding themselves replaced by automation or cheaper overseas labor, requiring them to adjust by utilizing higher-order skills that machinery or outsourcing can't do as well.
"Americans who want to prepare for the better jobs of the future will concentrate on developing their creativity, imagination, people skills and emotional intelligence," the authors write."
see the 2003 Annual Report at Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
something worth noting for friends of mine who are contemplating their future vocations..
the statistics below relate to the US economy but they could well provide a highly probable picture of the direction our own economy is going as well.
This "hierarchy of human talents" shows how American jobs are changing as a result of greater productivity.
- People Skills (financial services, nursing, teaching and such)
- Imagination and Creativity (acting and a host of others)
- Analytic Reasoning
- Formulaic Intelligence (book keepers, secretaries, phone operators, etc.)
- Manual Dexterity
- Muscle Power
"Those who earn their living with muscle power, manual dexterity or formulaic intelligence are increasingly finding themselves replaced by automation or cheaper overseas labor, requiring them to adjust by utilizing higher-order skills that machinery or outsourcing can't do as well.
"Americans who want to prepare for the better jobs of the future will concentrate on developing their creativity, imagination, people skills and emotional intelligence," the authors write."
see the 2003 Annual Report at Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
something worth noting for friends of mine who are contemplating their future vocations..
Thursday, 2 December 2004
43 Things I Want to do in 2005
1. stop wasting time (740)
2. Learn Spanish (65)
3. To live instead of exist (165)
4. be a great teacher (1)
5. eat healthier (35)
6. take more pictures (428)
7. become a better photographer (25)
8. make people smile (19)
9. volunteer (15)
10. exercise more (447)
11. stop procrastinating (578)
12. keep on writing and reading and thinking (3)
13. live life to the fullest (3)
14. make more friends (77)
15. draw more (17)
16. read more books (203)
17. be more confident (62)
18. paint a lot for no reason other than i love to paint (7)
19. Enjoy working. (7)
20. make something of myself (12)
21. manage my money (4)
22. practice random acts of kindness (10)
23. Change the world (for the better) (17)
24. live passionately (203)
25. run a marathon (66)
26. start something big (16)
27. stop wasting my time on stupid things like this (7)
28. take better photographs (99)
29. design a beautiful website (72)
30. Laugh. A lot. Genuinely. (61)
31. don't lose my sense of wonder (65)
32. take a photography class (22)
33. Love (221)
34. Eat more fruits and vegetables (37)
35. make art (122)
36. Display my photographs in a public place (91)
37. re-establish lost friendships (41)
38. find the meaning of life (22)
39. visit japan (164)
40. be a positive role model (4)
41. be myself (38)
42. inspire others (30)
43. maintain great friendships (60)
see my list online
from twinkler - "What do you want to do with your life?"
1. stop wasting time (740)
2. Learn Spanish (65)
3. To live instead of exist (165)
4. be a great teacher (1)
5. eat healthier (35)
6. take more pictures (428)
7. become a better photographer (25)
8. make people smile (19)
9. volunteer (15)
10. exercise more (447)
11. stop procrastinating (578)
12. keep on writing and reading and thinking (3)
13. live life to the fullest (3)
14. make more friends (77)
15. draw more (17)
16. read more books (203)
17. be more confident (62)
18. paint a lot for no reason other than i love to paint (7)
19. Enjoy working. (7)
20. make something of myself (12)
21. manage my money (4)
22. practice random acts of kindness (10)
23. Change the world (for the better) (17)
24. live passionately (203)
25. run a marathon (66)
26. start something big (16)
27. stop wasting my time on stupid things like this (7)
28. take better photographs (99)
29. design a beautiful website (72)
30. Laugh. A lot. Genuinely. (61)
31. don't lose my sense of wonder (65)
32. take a photography class (22)
33. Love (221)
34. Eat more fruits and vegetables (37)
35. make art (122)
36. Display my photographs in a public place (91)
37. re-establish lost friendships (41)
38. find the meaning of life (22)
39. visit japan (164)
40. be a positive role model (4)
41. be myself (38)
42. inspire others (30)
43. maintain great friendships (60)
see my list online
from twinkler - "What do you want to do with your life?"
Wednesday, 1 December 2004
A weekend visit to the zoo
isn't this so sweet?? :)
the one on the left is papa (or mama) pygmy hippo, the one on the right is mama (or papa) and the little one in the middle is baby. when we approached, one of the parents was touching noses with the little one. then all they once, they all rose, in tandem, to the surface to breathe. suddenly, the little one started sinking again (either because staying up was difficult or it was just plain sleepy). almost immediately, the bigger two rushed forward to prop it up so it could keep breathing above the water. but then it kept slipping off them and falling back in.... awwwww..... :)
went down to the zoo last Sunday morning to see my friend, who works as a zoo volunteer (aka docent), in action. we saw her leading miniature horses (no more than a metre tall) to the zoo entrance to show parents and the first question these kiasu parents love to ask is: " Can it be sat on?".. durh! typical parents.. grrr... just want to put their kids on every thing to take photographs on..
the zoo has become so amazing! practically all the animals are at arm's length away, or if they were big predators, we could usually see them just behind clear glass. Guanacos, fruit bats, tamarin monkeys etc all came up to us to examine us more closely.. the proboscis monkeys were new too. as well as a new enclosure for the white tigers which we unfortunately missed because it was raining and they brought them back to their private quarters (isnt' that so nice?? they get to stay away from pesky humans for a while everyday!) :)
i think our zoo is cool, a good place to bring your foreign visitor friends. it reminds me of Life Of Pi by Yann Martel. have u read the book? it's a good read.
isn't this so sweet?? :)
the one on the left is papa (or mama) pygmy hippo, the one on the right is mama (or papa) and the little one in the middle is baby. when we approached, one of the parents was touching noses with the little one. then all they once, they all rose, in tandem, to the surface to breathe. suddenly, the little one started sinking again (either because staying up was difficult or it was just plain sleepy). almost immediately, the bigger two rushed forward to prop it up so it could keep breathing above the water. but then it kept slipping off them and falling back in.... awwwww..... :)
went down to the zoo last Sunday morning to see my friend, who works as a zoo volunteer (aka docent), in action. we saw her leading miniature horses (no more than a metre tall) to the zoo entrance to show parents and the first question these kiasu parents love to ask is: " Can it be sat on?".. durh! typical parents.. grrr... just want to put their kids on every thing to take photographs on..
the zoo has become so amazing! practically all the animals are at arm's length away, or if they were big predators, we could usually see them just behind clear glass. Guanacos, fruit bats, tamarin monkeys etc all came up to us to examine us more closely.. the proboscis monkeys were new too. as well as a new enclosure for the white tigers which we unfortunately missed because it was raining and they brought them back to their private quarters (isnt' that so nice?? they get to stay away from pesky humans for a while everyday!) :)
i think our zoo is cool, a good place to bring your foreign visitor friends. it reminds me of Life Of Pi by Yann Martel. have u read the book? it's a good read.
Monday, 29 November 2004
4TH SINGAPORE AIDS CONFERENCE 2004
attended Day 1 of the 2 day Aids conference. an eye opening and wonderfully educational experience and had tons on my mind after that, but no time to blog them all down for now. in the meantime, i'll leave you with this poster from Red Cross reminding us of the stigma and discrimination faced by those infected with Aids or HIV.
Remember, it was NOT their choice to get Aids or HIV. And it's NOT that easy to get it from them too.
Anyway, when you discriminate against someone for whatever dumb/immature/nasty reason you have, remember that someone else somewhere is probably discriminating against you in one way or other too.
Let's work together to stamp out discrimination and intolerance of every kind from our society!
attended Day 1 of the 2 day Aids conference. an eye opening and wonderfully educational experience and had tons on my mind after that, but no time to blog them all down for now. in the meantime, i'll leave you with this poster from Red Cross reminding us of the stigma and discrimination faced by those infected with Aids or HIV.
Remember, it was NOT their choice to get Aids or HIV. And it's NOT that easy to get it from them too.
Anyway, when you discriminate against someone for whatever dumb/immature/nasty reason you have, remember that someone else somewhere is probably discriminating against you in one way or other too.
Let's work together to stamp out discrimination and intolerance of every kind from our society!
Saturday, 27 November 2004
The Secret of Becoming A Teacher
Once there was a man named Nathan. He wanted very much to be a teacher. So he went to seek the advice of the wisest, most highly respected counselor in the land.
“Wise counselor,” Nathan began, “it has always been my dream to be a teacher. I want to stimulate the minds of the young people of our land. I want to lead them down the road of knowledge. Please tell me the secret of becoming a teacher.”
“Your goal is a commendable one, Nathan. However, it is also a very difficult one to achieve. First you must overcome three major obstacles.”
“I am ready to meet the challenge,” answered Nathan bravely. “First you must swim the Sea of Children,” directed the knowing counselor.
Nathan started off to swim the Sea of Children. First he had to learn their 38 names. He had to send the line cutters to the end of the line. He made the paper throwers stay after school to clean the room. He commanded the name callers, pushers, and punchers to apologize to their victims. He gave candy to those who finished assignments and stars to those who were sitting in their seats quietly. Nathan checked passes to see how many children were in the bathroom. And he tracked down students who were gone longer than was necessary. He arranged the desks in alphabetical order, then boy-girl, boy-girl, and finally into small groups of four. He lined his children up for physical education and music and library and lunch. Then stifled a cry when the secretary came into the room with number 39.
Tired and shaken but still undefeated, Nathan returned to the counselor for his second task.
“You are a very determined lad,” said the advisor. “However, now you must climb the Mountain of Paperwork.”
Nathan set out at once. He wrote objectives and drew up lesson plans. He made out report cards and graded papers. He filled out accident reports, attendance reports and withdrawal reports. He completed inventories, evaluations, surveys, and request forms. Finally, he made dittos and more dittos. He ran them off until he was purple in the face.
But the courageous boy’s resolve never dwindled. He went to the wise counselor for his third task.
“You are indeed very strong, Nathan. But this third task will take all the courage you can muster. You must now cross the country of Duties and Committees.”
At first Nathan was hesitant. But his convictions remained steadfast. He began his long journey across the country of Duties and Committees. Nathan took lunch duty, bus duty, and recess duty. He was on the social committee, patrol committee, and the faculty advisory committee. He was the adult supervisor of the student government and ran the United Fund and Easter Seal drives. He went to PTA meetings, AEA meetings, SST meetings, School Site meetings, and in-service workshops. He organized bicentennial programs, talent shows, and book drives. Finally, he was elected the building representative of the union. At last Nathan reached the outskirts of Duties and Committees.
Exhausted but happy, he returned to the knowledgeable counselor.
“I swam the Sea of Children. I climbed the Mountain of Paperwork. I crossed the country of Duties and Committees,” Nathan proclaimed. ”Am I not worthy of the title of Teacher?”
“Why, Nathan,” began the counselor, “you have been a teacher all along.”
Nathan protested, “But I have not stimulated any minds. I have not guided anyone down the road to knowledge, I have not had any time to teach”
“Oh, you say you want to TEACH! I thought you said you wanted to be a teacher. That is a completely different story!!
Once there was a man named Nathan. He wanted very much to be a teacher. So he went to seek the advice of the wisest, most highly respected counselor in the land.
“Wise counselor,” Nathan began, “it has always been my dream to be a teacher. I want to stimulate the minds of the young people of our land. I want to lead them down the road of knowledge. Please tell me the secret of becoming a teacher.”
“Your goal is a commendable one, Nathan. However, it is also a very difficult one to achieve. First you must overcome three major obstacles.”
“I am ready to meet the challenge,” answered Nathan bravely. “First you must swim the Sea of Children,” directed the knowing counselor.
Nathan started off to swim the Sea of Children. First he had to learn their 38 names. He had to send the line cutters to the end of the line. He made the paper throwers stay after school to clean the room. He commanded the name callers, pushers, and punchers to apologize to their victims. He gave candy to those who finished assignments and stars to those who were sitting in their seats quietly. Nathan checked passes to see how many children were in the bathroom. And he tracked down students who were gone longer than was necessary. He arranged the desks in alphabetical order, then boy-girl, boy-girl, and finally into small groups of four. He lined his children up for physical education and music and library and lunch. Then stifled a cry when the secretary came into the room with number 39.
Tired and shaken but still undefeated, Nathan returned to the counselor for his second task.
“You are a very determined lad,” said the advisor. “However, now you must climb the Mountain of Paperwork.”
Nathan set out at once. He wrote objectives and drew up lesson plans. He made out report cards and graded papers. He filled out accident reports, attendance reports and withdrawal reports. He completed inventories, evaluations, surveys, and request forms. Finally, he made dittos and more dittos. He ran them off until he was purple in the face.
But the courageous boy’s resolve never dwindled. He went to the wise counselor for his third task.
“You are indeed very strong, Nathan. But this third task will take all the courage you can muster. You must now cross the country of Duties and Committees.”
At first Nathan was hesitant. But his convictions remained steadfast. He began his long journey across the country of Duties and Committees. Nathan took lunch duty, bus duty, and recess duty. He was on the social committee, patrol committee, and the faculty advisory committee. He was the adult supervisor of the student government and ran the United Fund and Easter Seal drives. He went to PTA meetings, AEA meetings, SST meetings, School Site meetings, and in-service workshops. He organized bicentennial programs, talent shows, and book drives. Finally, he was elected the building representative of the union. At last Nathan reached the outskirts of Duties and Committees.
Exhausted but happy, he returned to the knowledgeable counselor.
“I swam the Sea of Children. I climbed the Mountain of Paperwork. I crossed the country of Duties and Committees,” Nathan proclaimed. ”Am I not worthy of the title of Teacher?”
“Why, Nathan,” began the counselor, “you have been a teacher all along.”
Nathan protested, “But I have not stimulated any minds. I have not guided anyone down the road to knowledge, I have not had any time to teach”
“Oh, you say you want to TEACH! I thought you said you wanted to be a teacher. That is a completely different story!!
Friday, 26 November 2004
websites too good to trash..
Brain Transplantation - Be Young Again! Change Your Body - Keep Your Soul! - "When your car too old to fix it (sic), you are buying a new car. Would it be wonderful if you will be able to change you (sic) human body as easy as you can change a car? - Just for $499,000.00 you will get completely new human body, any age, race or gender you will choose...."
Frankenstein fears after head transplant - "A controversial operation to transplant the whole head of a monkey onto a different body has proved a partial success. The scientist behind it wants to do the same thing to humans, but other members of the scientific community have condemned the experiments as "grotesque"....."
Isamu Suda's Cat Brain Experiment - "Suda wanted to find out whether the brain of a mammal would still function after a period of freezing...."
and lastly, research findings on ear wax... apparently "Caucasians and blacks have only the wet type of cerumen (earwax). In 80 to 85% of Japanese, the cerumen is gray, dry and brittle. It is referred to as 'rice-bran ear wax' in Japanese. In the other Japanese, the cerumen is brown, sticky and wet. This is referred to as 'honey ear wax,' 'oily ear wax' or 'cat ear wax.'...."
(links via lynn) - perhaps staring at brain cells for excessive periods has something to do with her bizarre web inclinations?? :O ...
Brain Transplantation - Be Young Again! Change Your Body - Keep Your Soul! - "When your car too old to fix it (sic), you are buying a new car. Would it be wonderful if you will be able to change you (sic) human body as easy as you can change a car? - Just for $499,000.00 you will get completely new human body, any age, race or gender you will choose...."
Frankenstein fears after head transplant - "A controversial operation to transplant the whole head of a monkey onto a different body has proved a partial success. The scientist behind it wants to do the same thing to humans, but other members of the scientific community have condemned the experiments as "grotesque"....."
Isamu Suda's Cat Brain Experiment - "Suda wanted to find out whether the brain of a mammal would still function after a period of freezing...."
and lastly, research findings on ear wax... apparently "Caucasians and blacks have only the wet type of cerumen (earwax). In 80 to 85% of Japanese, the cerumen is gray, dry and brittle. It is referred to as 'rice-bran ear wax' in Japanese. In the other Japanese, the cerumen is brown, sticky and wet. This is referred to as 'honey ear wax,' 'oily ear wax' or 'cat ear wax.'...."
(links via lynn) - perhaps staring at brain cells for excessive periods has something to do with her bizarre web inclinations?? :O ...
Thursday, 25 November 2004
clay turtle
check out this really adorable handphone ornament my sis just got as a present!!
it's made of polymer clay in the Millefiori style!
anyone knows where to buy it?? of course you can make it yourself too! :) it's not that difficult.,. special clay is available, in little blocks, from the place i used to work, Creative Hands @ 4th level of Takashimaya Shopping Centre!
check out this really adorable handphone ornament my sis just got as a present!!
it's made of polymer clay in the Millefiori style!
anyone knows where to buy it?? of course you can make it yourself too! :) it's not that difficult.,. special clay is available, in little blocks, from the place i used to work, Creative Hands @ 4th level of Takashimaya Shopping Centre!
Tuesday, 23 November 2004
Melaka (Malacca) snapshots
anyone who's ever been to malacca will know what a lovely and laid back little town it is. a gem, really..
on a few websites, it was written:
The city was so coveted by the European powers that the Portuguese writer Barbarosa wrote "Whoever is Lord in Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice."
great food and great sites too, considering how small the whole place is (i.e. excluding the outskirts and larger environs, with the shopping malls and all). i couldn't resist the yummy chicken rice balls, local popiah, teo chew food, grilled fish and not to mention the traditional chinese sweets sold along Jonker street.
click here to see some snapshots i took on my short weekend visit.
and behold here the king of the river that helps to keep the river dividing the city clean! these fearsome beasts are at least 2 metres long from snout to tail!
anyone who's ever been to malacca will know what a lovely and laid back little town it is. a gem, really..
on a few websites, it was written:
The city was so coveted by the European powers that the Portuguese writer Barbarosa wrote "Whoever is Lord in Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice."
great food and great sites too, considering how small the whole place is (i.e. excluding the outskirts and larger environs, with the shopping malls and all). i couldn't resist the yummy chicken rice balls, local popiah, teo chew food, grilled fish and not to mention the traditional chinese sweets sold along Jonker street.
click here to see some snapshots i took on my short weekend visit.
and behold here the king of the river that helps to keep the river dividing the city clean! these fearsome beasts are at least 2 metres long from snout to tail!
Friday, 19 November 2004
Cherrilicious - my cherry blog
carol is in japan and eating all sorts of strange but cool stuff...
click to read her fab food blog.
carol is in japan and eating all sorts of strange but cool stuff...
click to read her fab food blog.
Tuesday, 16 November 2004
more about the US elections..
excellent article by Jeanette Winterson.
"America is in a state of civil war. Outside forces threatening the USA are nowhere near as dangerous to the country as the battle being fought for the hearts and minds of the American people.
For now, it looks as though the liberals have lost. Three million people - the margin of the win - have decided that America will turn back the clock on abortion, gay rights, civil rights, environmental responsibility, and America`s obligations to the rest of the world."..
click here to read it all..
excellent article by Jeanette Winterson.
"America is in a state of civil war. Outside forces threatening the USA are nowhere near as dangerous to the country as the battle being fought for the hearts and minds of the American people.
For now, it looks as though the liberals have lost. Three million people - the margin of the win - have decided that America will turn back the clock on abortion, gay rights, civil rights, environmental responsibility, and America`s obligations to the rest of the world."..
click here to read it all..
Monday, 15 November 2004
US apologises to the world...
this is really quite interesting..
Sorry Everybody is a neat collection of photographs from across America, by Americans, to express to "the rest of the world" their "deepest apologies" for the present political situation in their country and for how the elections turned out..
i admit that for a while, i too was pretty upset with the US for how the results turned out... oh well.. it's true that we can't blame everyone.. let's just hope we see more peace than wars in the years to come... and miraculously too, more tolerance for the minorities in the country, in every sense of the word... "moral values".. what does Bush know about that anyway?... grr..
(link via Otterman)
this is really quite interesting..
Sorry Everybody is a neat collection of photographs from across America, by Americans, to express to "the rest of the world" their "deepest apologies" for the present political situation in their country and for how the elections turned out..
i admit that for a while, i too was pretty upset with the US for how the results turned out... oh well.. it's true that we can't blame everyone.. let's just hope we see more peace than wars in the years to come... and miraculously too, more tolerance for the minorities in the country, in every sense of the word... "moral values".. what does Bush know about that anyway?... grr..
(link via Otterman)
Tree-top Walk
did what Kai did, a day later. WET WET day - got drenched in the late afternoon downpour but somehow managed to slosh through the whole 11km, looping around MacRitchie Reservoir. This route, once described in this site as "A Hidden Find for Runners" is fast becoming popular, especially after NParks spruced up a large part of the way with nice new boardwalks and stuff.
judging from the huge turnout of parents, grandparents and with children in tow, it is apparent that bringing children on nature walks is quickly becoming the "in" thing to do. hope these kids learn to respect nature and in time become conservationists-at-heart too.
fun. :)
did what Kai did, a day later. WET WET day - got drenched in the late afternoon downpour but somehow managed to slosh through the whole 11km, looping around MacRitchie Reservoir. This route, once described in this site as "A Hidden Find for Runners" is fast becoming popular, especially after NParks spruced up a large part of the way with nice new boardwalks and stuff.
judging from the huge turnout of parents, grandparents and with children in tow, it is apparent that bringing children on nature walks is quickly becoming the "in" thing to do. hope these kids learn to respect nature and in time become conservationists-at-heart too.
fun. :)
The Singapore Motorshow 2004
other than trying (often in vain) to take pictures of beautiful cars without being blocked by beautiful but sometimes under-dressed women, we also got to witness half an hour of impressive precision driving performed by master stunt performer Russ Swift (parallel parking in 2 seconds, reverse parking without using the reverse gear, driving on two wheels, spinning on the spot etc), sit strapped tight in one of these Subaru Imprezas for a little nausea-inducing spin by one of the ah-beng drivers on duty, get cool autographs by Russ Swift and motor racing artist Fredd Briggs, and check out the interiors of some of my all-time favourite cars like the Peugeot 206cc and even an ambulance!
all the different car manufacturers were also out in force, showcasing their new cars as well as a drooling number of sleek new concept cars for us to ogle over. As usual, Mercedes had a classic stylish booth with a pretty display of vintage cars. not to mention the Lamborghinis... very nice..
more for fun than for shopping but well worth the $10 paid! We were there for almost 6 hours! :)
*if you want to get tickets for the stunt performance, make sure you are there at the reception counter at least 2 hours prior, when they start giving out a limited no. of tickets for each show.
other than trying (often in vain) to take pictures of beautiful cars without being blocked by beautiful but sometimes under-dressed women, we also got to witness half an hour of impressive precision driving performed by master stunt performer Russ Swift (parallel parking in 2 seconds, reverse parking without using the reverse gear, driving on two wheels, spinning on the spot etc), sit strapped tight in one of these Subaru Imprezas for a little nausea-inducing spin by one of the ah-beng drivers on duty, get cool autographs by Russ Swift and motor racing artist Fredd Briggs, and check out the interiors of some of my all-time favourite cars like the Peugeot 206cc and even an ambulance!
all the different car manufacturers were also out in force, showcasing their new cars as well as a drooling number of sleek new concept cars for us to ogle over. As usual, Mercedes had a classic stylish booth with a pretty display of vintage cars. not to mention the Lamborghinis... very nice..
more for fun than for shopping but well worth the $10 paid! We were there for almost 6 hours! :)
*if you want to get tickets for the stunt performance, make sure you are there at the reception counter at least 2 hours prior, when they start giving out a limited no. of tickets for each show.
Saturday, 13 November 2004
Asian Congress of Storytellers 2004
Very Urgent!! :O
The Asian Congress of Storytellers is about to pass us by!!
Kai and I are planning to take part but we need a third person to make it a bit cheaper ($348 rather than $388).
Anyone interested???
It's a good opportunity to meet some world class storytellers and learn how to create and tell stories effectively and creatively to family, friends and anyone interested. I've read through the programme, it's really interesting and varied (drama, dance, songs, folktales, rhythm etc etc) and should appeal to everyone funky and young at heart (dogs young enough to learn new tricks), especially to those of you who are teachers, parents, librarians and storytellers yourself!!
click here to read it yourself and email me @ hwee(at)asia.com if you are interested ASAP!! Please note that it is on the 25th and 26th Nov which are weekdays.
Very Urgent!! :O
The Asian Congress of Storytellers is about to pass us by!!
Kai and I are planning to take part but we need a third person to make it a bit cheaper ($348 rather than $388).
Anyone interested???
It's a good opportunity to meet some world class storytellers and learn how to create and tell stories effectively and creatively to family, friends and anyone interested. I've read through the programme, it's really interesting and varied (drama, dance, songs, folktales, rhythm etc etc) and should appeal to everyone funky and young at heart (dogs young enough to learn new tricks), especially to those of you who are teachers, parents, librarians and storytellers yourself!!
click here to read it yourself and email me @ hwee(at)asia.com if you are interested ASAP!! Please note that it is on the 25th and 26th Nov which are weekdays.
Friday, 12 November 2004
Sunday, 7 November 2004
The National Orchid Garden
went on a nice Saturday morning outing to see the National Orchid Garden at the Botanic Gardens, in particular, to check out the newly-built 'Cool House' simulating sub-tropical conditions.
i've always loved this place, especially for its truly splendid collection of orchid hybrids commemorating the visit of VIPs from royalty (e.g. Princess Masako) to state dignitaries (our friends from all corners of the political world) to pop stars and celebrities (e.g. Tom Cruise and Bae Yong Jun). Some orchids can truly blow you away.
it's one of those places i would recommend for my foreign friends, anytime. :)
went on a nice Saturday morning outing to see the National Orchid Garden at the Botanic Gardens, in particular, to check out the newly-built 'Cool House' simulating sub-tropical conditions.
i've always loved this place, especially for its truly splendid collection of orchid hybrids commemorating the visit of VIPs from royalty (e.g. Princess Masako) to state dignitaries (our friends from all corners of the political world) to pop stars and celebrities (e.g. Tom Cruise and Bae Yong Jun). Some orchids can truly blow you away.
it's one of those places i would recommend for my foreign friends, anytime. :)
Singapore River Experience
on the spur of the moment, i went with a friend to try the very touristy Singapore River Cruise Experience last Friday, something i've been thinking of doing ever since i heard from another friend some time ago that it is actually worth the hefty $12 for a half-hour ride down a river i've already walked down countless times.
here are some pics taken with my phone cam:
turned out to be rather fun indeed, especially when we were going under the different bridges: there are 11 of them, some with names that were unknown to me previously, like Pulau Saigon Bridge, Read Bridge and Ord Bridge. it was also interesting to see the Esplanade, Merlion, ACM and Fullerton Hotel from another perspective.
the evening breeze was cool and surprisingly, Clark Quay was abuzz with the chatter of diners visiting the new restaurants that hugged the riverbank. noticed a couple of new places to check out... glad they have revamped the ghost town.. :)
kitsch? well, sure beats the trishaw ride i just took the weekend before at Little India!.. haha.... never mind, i could always pretend to be Japanese.. :p
on the spur of the moment, i went with a friend to try the very touristy Singapore River Cruise Experience last Friday, something i've been thinking of doing ever since i heard from another friend some time ago that it is actually worth the hefty $12 for a half-hour ride down a river i've already walked down countless times.
here are some pics taken with my phone cam:
turned out to be rather fun indeed, especially when we were going under the different bridges: there are 11 of them, some with names that were unknown to me previously, like Pulau Saigon Bridge, Read Bridge and Ord Bridge. it was also interesting to see the Esplanade, Merlion, ACM and Fullerton Hotel from another perspective.
the evening breeze was cool and surprisingly, Clark Quay was abuzz with the chatter of diners visiting the new restaurants that hugged the riverbank. noticed a couple of new places to check out... glad they have revamped the ghost town.. :)
kitsch? well, sure beats the trishaw ride i just took the weekend before at Little India!.. haha.... never mind, i could always pretend to be Japanese.. :p
Tuesday, 2 November 2004
a quick update (oct - nov 04)
friends, fans and concerned colleagues (past and present),
i had disappeared and i apologise. thanks for your kind patience and undying support and trust in me that i'll return, and of course, your unbelievable loyalty in still checking out this page faithfully, after my unusually long hiatus..i have been extremely busy...
below is a brief pictorial capture of some of what i've seen over the past month. words will follow shortly (i hope).
for now, adios! au revoir! ciao! and take care!
caption update: (1) 'From the Land of the Ottoman Sultans' @ ACM (2) observatory near hilltop jap restaurant @ jurong (3) bottle tree (4) good friends @ chalet (5) kai's niece (6)-(12) the animal resort (13) everbloom mushroom farm (14)&(15) breaking fast @ arab street (16) the old istana @ kampung glam (17) SENI Singapore 2004 @ SAM (18) sunflowers for my sis' birthday (19) pretty gerbera (20) birdwatching @ khatib bongsu with naturetrekker ben (21) pitcher plant @ simpang (22) Sungei Simpang (23) mating horseshoe crabs (24)&(25) wild fungi (26) anthill (27) feet in therapeutic hot spring H2O (28) scary mr lee
friends, fans and concerned colleagues (past and present),
i had disappeared and i apologise. thanks for your kind patience and undying support and trust in me that i'll return, and of course, your unbelievable loyalty in still checking out this page faithfully, after my unusually long hiatus..i have been extremely busy...
below is a brief pictorial capture of some of what i've seen over the past month. words will follow shortly (i hope).
for now, adios! au revoir! ciao! and take care!
caption update: (1) 'From the Land of the Ottoman Sultans' @ ACM (2) observatory near hilltop jap restaurant @ jurong (3) bottle tree (4) good friends @ chalet (5) kai's niece (6)-(12) the animal resort (13) everbloom mushroom farm (14)&(15) breaking fast @ arab street (16) the old istana @ kampung glam (17) SENI Singapore 2004 @ SAM (18) sunflowers for my sis' birthday (19) pretty gerbera (20) birdwatching @ khatib bongsu with naturetrekker ben (21) pitcher plant @ simpang (22) Sungei Simpang (23) mating horseshoe crabs (24)&(25) wild fungi (26) anthill (27) feet in therapeutic hot spring H2O (28) scary mr lee
Monday, 25 October 2004
The key to self-awareness is honest self-observation
"If we do not observe ourselves, we cannot ever hope to be our own master.
We will be like 'puppets' yanked by every impulse tugging on our strings."
- Don Riso, an international Enneagram authority
circumstances in my life threaten to tug me in all directions. lots of both positive and negative events surround me these few weeks.
staying afloat. learning to keep everything in the right perspective and staying perfectly aware of what is happening in and outside of myself, as well as the choices open to me.
will be back to blogging real soon.
"If we do not observe ourselves, we cannot ever hope to be our own master.
We will be like 'puppets' yanked by every impulse tugging on our strings."
- Don Riso, an international Enneagram authority
circumstances in my life threaten to tug me in all directions. lots of both positive and negative events surround me these few weeks.
staying afloat. learning to keep everything in the right perspective and staying perfectly aware of what is happening in and outside of myself, as well as the choices open to me.
will be back to blogging real soon.
Saturday, 16 October 2004
Dreams
I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.
Oprah Winfrey, O Magazine, September 2002
US actress & television talk show host (1954 - )
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
Mark Twain
If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.
Oprah Winfrey, O Magazine, September 2002
US actress & television talk show host (1954 - )
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
Mark Twain
If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Wednesday, 13 October 2004
the net principle
the irony of it all...
my new sony ericsson t610 got nicked at my workplace today after i left it on my worktable.. darn sad..yes, if you're wondering, it's the phone i mentioned in my very last post, just before this one.. lost all the contacts i have stored in my sim card over the past couple of years.. anyway, i figured that this is also a good time for me to figure out who my existing or remaining or enduring friends are.. those who have survived years of my nonsense and decide to remain friends with me.. if you got my number and still want to be in my list, please sms me, with your name of cos, and let me add you back, ya?
else i'll try to email you at some point to find out or get it from someone else in our "clique"??
i've realised that life is just like that sometimes.. someone returned me a mobile phone recently, one that i had lent to her for a while, and very promptly, i lost my new one. it is as if there is always this "net effect".. you lose something, you find something else, you drive your old car around for years and nothing happens to it. you buy a new car and you wreck it the next day... you lose a friend and then gain a new acquaintance.. when God closes a door, He opens a window..
bizarrely, this is always something i realise i subconsciously believe about life, despite how positive i appear about things around me and circumstances and events.. sometimes, i suddenly wonder.. in the quiet of the night.. maybe, just maybe.. there is really a "net" amount of happiness in this world... when someone is really happy, someone else in the world becomes sad.. when peace appears somewhere.. war breaks out in another corner..
oh well.. neber mind.. anyway, many thanks to the dearest friend who's about to lend me a camera phone to tide over these difficult times.. :) thanks! muaks! **
the irony of it all...
my new sony ericsson t610 got nicked at my workplace today after i left it on my worktable.. darn sad..yes, if you're wondering, it's the phone i mentioned in my very last post, just before this one.. lost all the contacts i have stored in my sim card over the past couple of years.. anyway, i figured that this is also a good time for me to figure out who my existing or remaining or enduring friends are.. those who have survived years of my nonsense and decide to remain friends with me.. if you got my number and still want to be in my list, please sms me, with your name of cos, and let me add you back, ya?
else i'll try to email you at some point to find out or get it from someone else in our "clique"??
i've realised that life is just like that sometimes.. someone returned me a mobile phone recently, one that i had lent to her for a while, and very promptly, i lost my new one. it is as if there is always this "net effect".. you lose something, you find something else, you drive your old car around for years and nothing happens to it. you buy a new car and you wreck it the next day... you lose a friend and then gain a new acquaintance.. when God closes a door, He opens a window..
bizarrely, this is always something i realise i subconsciously believe about life, despite how positive i appear about things around me and circumstances and events.. sometimes, i suddenly wonder.. in the quiet of the night.. maybe, just maybe.. there is really a "net" amount of happiness in this world... when someone is really happy, someone else in the world becomes sad.. when peace appears somewhere.. war breaks out in another corner..
oh well.. neber mind.. anyway, many thanks to the dearest friend who's about to lend me a camera phone to tide over these difficult times.. :) thanks! muaks! **
Thursday, 7 October 2004
the *new* sony ericsson t610 gallery
went down to sim lim to buy an infrared to usb cable last night and finally managed to download my pics from my recently purchased (albeit no longer in fashion) camera phone.
now announcing the t610 gallery!
hahahah.. very lomo-esque pics.. cool..... i like.. :)
went down to sim lim to buy an infrared to usb cable last night and finally managed to download my pics from my recently purchased (albeit no longer in fashion) camera phone.
now announcing the t610 gallery!
hahahah.. very lomo-esque pics.. cool..... i like.. :)
Monday, 4 October 2004
a weekend of varied experiences
sunrise 04 oct 2004
the weekend that just passed (from friday all thru to sunday) was pretty amazing..
firstly, Friday. i happened to be at raffles city at the right time and caught no less than 5 babelicious models catwalking down the side of Raffles City to pulsating electronic music (see here for the 2004 vertical catwalk asia tour by espirit). i stood alongside heartland aunties with toddlers in tow and young couples in smart office suits, all of us watching in awe the real life Lara Crofts in action. Very surreal.
then hopped over to the opening of a good friend's exhibition at Singapore Art Museum. His team, sciSKEW architecture, is one of 10 artists exhibiting as part of Seni Singapore 2004 (Project Home Fronts). Look out for the cool piece of work – you can’t miss it cos it’s so huge (stretches over two rooms) and white and elevated and rather bright with about 30 flourescent tubes incandescent. Noticed a few somewhat well-known figures in the local arts scene while sipping wine and gulping tea tarik at the reception and caught up with some “long lost” acquaintances and friends. Fun :)
then adjourned to the related art exhibition Insomnia 48 at the Arts House where we stumbled upon a free slow waltz 101 course by a bubbly lady with a broad smile. She was brilliantly friendly and made the moves seem so effortless. Still, it didn’t stop me from tripping over my two left feet. Nonetheless, I’m glad i overcame some of my initial biasness against this dance form and now I think it can actually be quite fun. Ha.
woke up early Sat morning and went to get my already-not-so-long hair chopped further at my favourite HDB dwelling hairdresser, as suggested by my kind colleagues who are going to do likewise, as preparation for the heavy load of marking that will descend on us in a few days’ time, once the exams are done. In their own words, “Have a lighter head”. Imagine the extreme lengths teachers will go for their students! Erhm. *I’m sure you’re weeping in gratitude now??* haha.
Then headed down to Yishun swimming pool for some sun and laps. Trying my best to get the “healthy glow” look that is not typical of teachers.. hahahaha . ok ok, well, actually I was trying to fix my right ankle which is still throbbing a little from a careless sprain after the long run last week. Thought the soft motion of the water current will help. It didn’t after 10 laps, so I just stood around and people watched. Ha.
Ended the evening walking around famous Chong Pang "village" (where every other nasi lemak stall claims to sell the original "Chong Pang nasi lemak", just like in the katong laksa case), stopped by at the handful of pet shops to stare at the gerbils, hamsters and budgerigars, and eventually, ended up at Ma Kuang Chinese Physicians and had my first taste of acupuncture! I think the trauma of really doing it was more than the actual pain, though I did have some six needles poke into my foot and light electrical impulses sent through them, causing this odd numbing sensation for a good 15 minutes.
The random experiences continued into Sunday. A good friend and I caught up over lunch and then watched the Discovery Travel and Adventure channel host contest live at Suntec. At the beginning, we pained over those on stage who put on faked accents and looked enthusiastic but awkward for the cameras and live crowds (too fat? too old? really sweet? too friendly? too fake? whatever..) We cheered those who pleased us intuitively, even if we couldn’t figure out their appeal. In the end, I didn’t finish watching the whole contest and spent the rest of the day with a group of fun friends for cold beer along the river, laughing and bantering. Good clean malty fun. Ha, who can complain!
I think a weekend like this takes a while to recover from… burp…
sunrise 04 oct 2004
the weekend that just passed (from friday all thru to sunday) was pretty amazing..
firstly, Friday. i happened to be at raffles city at the right time and caught no less than 5 babelicious models catwalking down the side of Raffles City to pulsating electronic music (see here for the 2004 vertical catwalk asia tour by espirit). i stood alongside heartland aunties with toddlers in tow and young couples in smart office suits, all of us watching in awe the real life Lara Crofts in action. Very surreal.
then hopped over to the opening of a good friend's exhibition at Singapore Art Museum. His team, sciSKEW architecture, is one of 10 artists exhibiting as part of Seni Singapore 2004 (Project Home Fronts). Look out for the cool piece of work – you can’t miss it cos it’s so huge (stretches over two rooms) and white and elevated and rather bright with about 30 flourescent tubes incandescent. Noticed a few somewhat well-known figures in the local arts scene while sipping wine and gulping tea tarik at the reception and caught up with some “long lost” acquaintances and friends. Fun :)
then adjourned to the related art exhibition Insomnia 48 at the Arts House where we stumbled upon a free slow waltz 101 course by a bubbly lady with a broad smile. She was brilliantly friendly and made the moves seem so effortless. Still, it didn’t stop me from tripping over my two left feet. Nonetheless, I’m glad i overcame some of my initial biasness against this dance form and now I think it can actually be quite fun. Ha.
woke up early Sat morning and went to get my already-not-so-long hair chopped further at my favourite HDB dwelling hairdresser, as suggested by my kind colleagues who are going to do likewise, as preparation for the heavy load of marking that will descend on us in a few days’ time, once the exams are done. In their own words, “Have a lighter head”. Imagine the extreme lengths teachers will go for their students! Erhm. *I’m sure you’re weeping in gratitude now??* haha.
Then headed down to Yishun swimming pool for some sun and laps. Trying my best to get the “healthy glow” look that is not typical of teachers.. hahahaha . ok ok, well, actually I was trying to fix my right ankle which is still throbbing a little from a careless sprain after the long run last week. Thought the soft motion of the water current will help. It didn’t after 10 laps, so I just stood around and people watched. Ha.
Ended the evening walking around famous Chong Pang "village" (where every other nasi lemak stall claims to sell the original "Chong Pang nasi lemak", just like in the katong laksa case), stopped by at the handful of pet shops to stare at the gerbils, hamsters and budgerigars, and eventually, ended up at Ma Kuang Chinese Physicians and had my first taste of acupuncture! I think the trauma of really doing it was more than the actual pain, though I did have some six needles poke into my foot and light electrical impulses sent through them, causing this odd numbing sensation for a good 15 minutes.
The random experiences continued into Sunday. A good friend and I caught up over lunch and then watched the Discovery Travel and Adventure channel host contest live at Suntec. At the beginning, we pained over those on stage who put on faked accents and looked enthusiastic but awkward for the cameras and live crowds (too fat? too old? really sweet? too friendly? too fake? whatever..) We cheered those who pleased us intuitively, even if we couldn’t figure out their appeal. In the end, I didn’t finish watching the whole contest and spent the rest of the day with a group of fun friends for cold beer along the river, laughing and bantering. Good clean malty fun. Ha, who can complain!
I think a weekend like this takes a while to recover from… burp…
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