Warning: Long post
So yes it has been a long time since the last update but I really can't help myself. I went to Singapore for 6 days starting from the 15th to the 21st January and I tell you I was loving everyday of it. It somewhat got to the point where I thought on the flight back home that 6 days really wasn't enough and, like I've told a lot of people, I really like Singapore. *shake fist*
So, from the previous entry, I had a problem with accommodation. Key word is "had". So thanks to a certain recently married friend, I got to stay with a friend of his that has been housing an OCFer whenever he goes down to Singapore for a visit. The catch is that I would have to sleep in the living room but that is really no catch at all. This person that I was staying with is also married and has a 3.5 year old daughter and plays bass for a very large church. I'm liking it already. So I make my way to this family's condo and met the wife. So she showed me around the condo and have a relatively brief chat. Then when she showed me the daughter's room, she said this is where I will be sleeping. I was in complete shock and quickly tried to reject the offer. In an unusual twist, it wasn't on her word that she insisted for me to set up bed there but her daughter's word. While I was very very grateful that I have a literal bed, I was also thinking what kind of a 3.5 year old would give up their own bed to a stranger that she's never met. As a by product of that, I can imagine how cute this daughter of theirs is (she was playing with one of her neighbours next door, so I didn't see her when I came in the house). Chatted a bit more with the wife and quickly she has shown herself to be a very nice and generous person.
According to the mother, Shannon has been taught to share with other people but even her own actions surprised her. One example of course was the bed incident stated above. The other one is that she will give her last favourite sweet to her friends. Every time. Obviously I was speechless and I'm sure that the mother was too when she found out about it. What happened to us in going from a child much like Shannon to now being adults where sharing is such a rare thing? This is probably the best example to the term child-like faith.
Then Shannon came in.
She is so cute! And a lot of my good friends know that I have a very weak spot for cuteness, especially 3-6 year old girls and animals. She is remarkably chatty and smart for a girl her age and continue to amaze me with her cheeky-ness, intelligence and values throughout the week I was crashing at their place. Continued talking to the wife and occasionally playing with their daughter before I went out to have dinner with a childhood friend. But just as I was gathering my things to go out, Shannon asked me "Kor kor, where are you going?" which I promptly replied that I was going to meet my friend. She replied "Don't want" and she started getting a bit restless and gave a gesture for a hug. I gave her a hug and she latched on to me. I said I really have to go already but she keep saying don't want and getting more restless. I put her down and she ran towards the grilled front door and she used both her hand to cover the keyholes on either side of the door and said "Don't want, don't want". Think about it for awhile. At that age she knew what was needed to open the door (using a key to the keyhole) and to prevent the door from opening she did what she thought best, block the keyholes. She has thought and formulated a solution based on the current problem, me leaving, and the observations she's had. That is remarkably clever. And how terribly cute. With a heavy heart I still manage to leave the condo to meet a friend because she's forgotten one thing. The grilled door was already unlocked and all is needed is to pull the handle. She was clearly unhappy.
I did manage to meet the the husband and he is really a cool person. There was one time where we just sat down and jammed on Christian songs with him on the guitar and me using his 5 string Fender Jazz bass *drools* at 1 am. So not used to playing a 5 string bass but I somewhat got by. But the even cooler thing was that after we finished jamming, he looked at me and with a strangely stern look and asked me if I was hungry. I replied I can eat but if not I'm also fine. So he brought me to have roti canai at 2 in the morning while we chatted a bit more and he still goes to work the next day. My brain has been officially been blown to bits by this family.
Singapore has changed so much since 2 years ago. All of the sudden more shopping centres appeared along Orchard Road, most of which apparently opened within the past 6 months. And these are no ordinary malls. They are big, bold, "exciting", upbeat malls we are talking about. If Singapore had a recession, one look at the Orchard Road environment tells you otherwise. The new Circle MRT Line is well on its way to completion which now makes transferring between the 3 existing lines a lot easier. More low-rise condos are being built for those who can't afford houses but rich enough to afford a little more space. Plus a whole lot of other things that are pretty much terra-forming the Singaporean land. But there are aspects of it that hasn't changed, some for decades. That will be another story.
Much of the trip to Singapore are characterized by 2 main things; food and friends. I've had a lot of good food in the past 6 days that I am convinced that my parents brainwashing that Singaporean food is bad is completely wrong. Sure there are some things that are similiar to Malaysian food, there are enough differences to set itself apart. The most important food item that I must have and indeed I did have it was Bak Chor Mee (BCM). I suffered cravings for BCM ever since Boba Pearl in Melbourne closed down more than 2 years ago. It was the only thing that was good there apart from their bubble tea. Also, I managed to find a very good coffee place that is pretty near to the coffee giants in Melbourne like St. Ali, 7 Seeds etc and it is even complete with the culture of Melbourne. This place is tucked away in some relatively obscure laneway occupying a very small but relaxing area. And it seems virtually everyone there were in one way or the other related in Melbourne. This is the only place for good coffee in Singapore. I can pretty much guarantee it for the moment.
I've had a big problem with the dynamics of friends in OCF in Melbourne last year and I yearn for a deep and close relationship with friends. I found it in Singapore with the OCFers. That was quite strange but that has thrown a spanner in the works. Regardless, I have buckets and buckets load of fun with them; going out to church with them, travelling in search of food and many other activities. In particular, I've spent a lot of time with two girls who have taken the time to exhaust me bringing me around the island for two days straight. We might not have done much per se but I've gained so much from the conversations we had and the stupid, funny, random things we did. I'd say that this was the jump start that I needed so desperately in the second half of last year when I felt very "useless" (for a lack of a better word). I never got this from most of my fellow country men in OCF which to me just highlights the social differences between Malaysians and Singaporeans. But that is for another discussion. Point is, I'm happy for that spanner.
After being exhausted for 2 days, I crashed and rebooted with 12+ hours of sleep and I was determined to spend some time with the family that I was staying with because I essentially treated the place like a hotel. And they are really really really epicly nice people. So for most afternoons until I came back home, I played with Shannon. She loves to play some games on my iPhone and likes toying around my camera that I have brought along for the trip. It was quite sad that I didn't have a tertiary camera with me since the iPhone and camera were occupied by Shannon. It is quite fun playing with this little girl who has like the energy output of a nuclear power plant. It's quite hard to keep up with her at times but you feel like there is nothing else you would trade for. I guess that's how parents feel about their children.
But alas, the Singaporean trip must come to an end. My one regret was that I didn't have the time to at least have a meal together with the whole family. I will come back and do that. Also, I left on a rather bad note to Shannon. I left for the airport at the time when she was napping. So I left without saying goodbye to her. I really felt quite bad about it. Again, I'll visit them again next time. I've thoroughly enjoyed my trip there that some of my Singaporean friends have started pulling me to stay and work in Singapore. *shake fist*. Don't tempt me...
After coming back home, I thought it was going to be another very normal but boring week but no. Some of my Singaporean friends that I've met when I was down came up to KL. And so begins 4 more days of insane food hunting, shopping and talking. The same 2 girls who brought me around Singapore were part of the group and so it was my turn to return the favour. I also followed them for shoes, accessories and clothes shopping.
Yes, you heard me right. I tagged the girls for shopping. It is actually quite fun if you take the time to talk to them and analyze what sort of things they like. Also, I'd have to thank my sister for passively educating me in fashion and accessories because that helped a lot. Once I have somewhat proved my worth, they'd asked me for second opinions. Again I have to thank my sister for the training. I think my sister would be proud =P There was also another day where I spent a day trip to Ipoh with 5 girls, food hunting and talking. Again it's more fun than you'd expect if you take the time to talk to them and analyzing what's going on.
In short, I had a blazing time over the past 2 weeks. No amount of words used here could have described the events, feelings and thoughts that have occurred because that is simply impossible to picture it in its entirety solely with words. I have this renewed faith in my OCF friendships, oodles of fun and lots to think about for the rest of the year. 2010 has just barely started and I've got off to such a high note. May it be as good if not better than this. One event that I am looking forward to is the trip to Turkey this Friday for 10 days where I will embark on a personal project of mine. Photograph Turkey solely on film. I am not going to bring my digital SLR along at all. Everything manual.
This will be fun.
I can feel it...
Cursed Lion
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
at
5:06 PM
I think I am cursed whenever I decide to go down to Singapore by myself. Every time I decide to go to Singapore, one thing always happens and that really sucks and that would be that I would be coming at the wrong time. The last trip down, I had so much trouble meeting up with people because either they are working or they are on holiday overseas or busy with something. This time round it is proving to be another round of wrong timing. Even now, I'm still finding it difficult to find a place to stay because so far everyone has said they can't. Meh.
|
0
comments
|
Ribbiting Deductions
Sunday, January 10, 2010
at
5:02 AM
Watched two movies in the cinema yesterday. Princess and the Frog was not bad and I really like it that they have gone back to old-school hand-drawn 2D animation much like every other animated Disney movie before 3D came to the picture. I thought it was an attempt somewhat to revive the Disney Renaissance that started with Little Mermaid followed by a string of animated musicals that gave Disney it's huge share of profit and not to mention the hearts and minds of many young girls who would get their parents to hit the repeat button on the DVD player every time. This one was probably one of the last barriers that Disney needed to break for their animated musicals, having and African-American princess so to speak. It is interesting to note that during the entire Renaissance that they didn't start with an American setting or story, though pretty much Americans did everything else. For example: Little Mermaid - Denmark, Beauty and the Beast with Hunchback of Notre Dame - France, Aladdin - Arabia, Lion King with Tarzan - Africa, Hercules - Greece, Mulan - China, Pocahontas - America. Although Pocahontas's setting was in America, there were no truly American influences, just the British. So I wouldn't count that as American. Princess and the Frog is all about the early 1900s in New Orleans and there is only one thing that came up in my mind.
Jazz.
Music had predominant jazz influences and was very nice as well. Though I wish they had a little bit more musical element to the movie but otherwise it's good. Good dose of laughter plus truck loads worth of valuable messages make this fairy tale like every other fairy tale Disney has done. Now, because of the messages that are to be portrayed in the movie and given it's African-American background, it comes to no surprise that Oprah Winfrey had a small role to play as the mother of the would-be princess. No prizes for why I think she deliberately picked that role. Also, the music were written and composed by the one and only Randy Newman, the same composer for the Toy Story series which gives the lyrics an extra kick.
Now, the million dollar question. Is Princess and the Frog of the same caliber as its predecessors? I would say close but no cake. Why? It seems to tick the right boxes but I think something is missing for it to be really great. I'm not sure what it is but I'm pretty sure that something is missing. Don't get me wrong, watch it because it's good. If you like any of the movies during the Renaissance then this is pretty close and you will like it. I'm just saying that I don't think it's quite the same like-able hit movie as those in the Renaissance. But pretty close. Just watch it. On DVD. Unless you are in Australia. Then go to Hoyts.
Then there is Sherlock Holmes. The more I think about it the more I think Robert Downey Jr. plays certain character profiles really well. This new look at the infamous London detective makes Robert fit perfectly for this role. So eccentric yet composed. Not a bad movie again with a pretty star studded cast to it. But it's one of those shows where if you really want to get a sense of closure, you really have to pay attention to the movie details as some events don't seem to make sense until further down the line. Sometimes much further down the line. And the director was smart enough to leave room to make a sequel at the end in case this movie sky-rocketed in the box office earnings. Which it did.
Something totally unrelated. Kudos for Bing for the video. Something for me to think about if and when I start tutoring again or in the distant future that I lecture on how to engage the students more than the conventional way of lecturing or tutoring. Long vid but I think worth the watch.
|
0
comments
|
Into The Lion's Mouth
Friday, January 8, 2010
at
1:30 AM
I've had a very good time meeting up a primary school friend in the afternoon. One of the few primary school friends that I still talk and keep in contact with. Had lunch at Asia Cafe (or rather I had lunch) before we adjourned to Pyramid to hopefully catch a movie. Unfortunately the movies we wanted to watch are a bit too late for me as I had dinner plans later. So we slowly walked around, had some things to nibble, quench thirst with a lychee and watermelon drink (awesome by the way) and checked out the arcade and had some archery done. Completely impromptu but on hindsight, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Dinner with some of the OCFers at Murni and to celebrate some past and upcoming birthdays. But given the recent events of which I only just found out days ago, most of the attention is directed towards one person. I find it surprising about it because I only knew the step before this only weeks ago. Says a lot about how I'm not in the loop anymore. Again I did a small head count at the table and again I still find the same proportion as I saw in OCF lately. 50%. Then it gave me a theory, give it a few more years and that percentage will soon approach the Golden Ratio (conjugate), about 62%. Maybe it will stabilize at that ratio. That would be soooo geekily cool but at the same time a tad bit depressing.
Speaking of geeky, a friend gave me this brain teaser out of nowhere because he is stumped on solving it. So he gave the problem, thinking that I should be able to solve it off all people being a "former" mathematician. So I looked at it and immediately I know what to do. "Sweet! It's a sudoku type problem. I know how to solv...wait, how many variables are there?...........Sweet! I know how to solve it". Right there, I knew my third year Operations Research subjects have not gone to waste. A few hours later, I solved it with the help of the computer. Felt quite happy which leads me to believe that I have chosen the right second course to do. I love the thrill of a solved problem.
Anyway, short update. Kittehz of Singapore! Ai iz coming to teh Big Kitteh Citi!!!1! Form 15th til 21st Januaree. Clear thos daets plz? Kthxbai.
|
0
comments
|
Dream a Little 'Dream'
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
at
1:09 AM
One odd thing that I've noticed since I've came back from Melbourne is that I've been dreaming a lot lately. In fact, I've had more dreams since I came back than the entire year in Melbourne. These dreams have a wide variety but they all have a common factor in that they are all pretty random. Other than that, my dreams differ widely between one dream and the next. I've had dreams about friends doing seemingly bizarre things (nothing sexual or violent. I'd be freaked out), pleasant ones though really random and some occasional nightmares that have really weird occurances. There must be something in the water or food here that's causing all these dreams. I can even have 2 or more dreams in a day, during napping, dozed off in front of the TV and of course normal sleep. How strange.
I've bumped into some of my A-levels friends yesterday and I was surprised that they still remember me and likewise. These people, I haven't seen them in over 6 years and they still look the same and act the same with some minor changes to their habits. It is good to see them all doing very well indeed which kinda makes me feel bad about my whole situation but that's the green eyed monster talking. It was great meeting them although it was just for about 10 minutes or so. Amazing isn't it? Even though we were all studying in the same class for just 1.5 years yet we still remember each other like it was just any other normal day in college. And after 6 years of absence. Certainly puts a lot of things into new light.
The more I think about it, the more I think we should do it. I was joking around with a few friends on how we should have an Air Apostrophe/Quotation Day. It just another random day just like Talk Like A Pirate Day, Caturday, Pi Day and so on. Think of all the social chaos and misunderstanding that would happen as a result. It would be funny, awkward and the occasional fights would break out. For example, meeting with a cousin you only meet once a year, "Hello, 'cousin'.". Or "I'm in so much 'pain' right now" or "You're 'fired'!". Probably one of the worst things to say, especially if the significant other is unaware of this day's existence, "This is my 'girlfriend'/'wife'." I think it would be so much fun 'fun'.
Yeah, Air Apostrophe/Quoation Day would be cool.
|
0
comments
|
Emo-tional
Sunday, January 3, 2010
at
5:24 AM
My cousin's wedding dinner wasn't as epic as I thought it was partly because a lot of the epic parts were either scaled down significantly or removed altogether. It's not a dinner that I would enjoy for a number of reasons. One, I'm not that close to my cousin. Two, some of the singing performances were ear-shredding. Three, old people (aka. parents) dancing to 70s disco music. Enough said. Although I was quite curious how they would react if I just secretly put in a request for the Village People's YMCA. They literally danced their asses off to every major hit 70s disco music so it should be pretty epic to see them do YMCA. The request did come but not from me and it was just a little too late because there were a lot fewer left on the dance floor. Me? I just drank more vodka and looked away. It's better that way.
For the first time in a few years, I got to meet up with 2 brothers together. We had beer and chatted for a good 4 hours and I have to say that was the best. I wished that moment didn't end because I feel happy and all my problems and frustrations with myself and other people just vanish or dealt with appropriately. They're just pretty good at that. Like I said, it was good while it lasted which got me thinking while cruising down the highway at 2 in the morning with the radio turned off. Things these days are so transient, nothing ever stays the same no matter how much you try. Of course I know this the hard way. Anyway, how long can this last? In the age where virtually everyone is getting married, attached or friend dynamics revamped, change between us is inevitable. This is the kind of support that I need now (in wake of 2009) just to keep me sane, so what happens when it's finally gone? Or when I go back to Melbourne?
I got the comment that my recent blog posts have been very emo. Great! And I don't mean that in a sarcastic way. Part of my problem is people thinking that everything will work out fine. Or in the words of a friend who always use this "You'll be fine". Rubbish. While we are at it, let's throw in a few other things. I also start to be depressed, low self-esteem, the whole package. It's a great wonder and miracle that I didn't become an alcoholic (by the way, the mention of alcohol here does not reflect that I am one. I just like it like how I like apple juice with aloe vera bits. I don't abuse it.) or a songwriter or both.
What a rubbish thing to say! But this is the world we are talking about.
That Korean drama series that I got for Christmas looks mighty tempting right about now...
|
0
comments
|
OWTOIWTN
Friday, January 1, 2010
at
4:55 AM
I was going to do this in two posts, one on the Eve and the other on New Year's Day itself. But thanks to the unbelievably long tea ceremony for my cousin, that was all shot to bits. Oh well.
And so 2009 has passed by (or at least this time zone) and what has happened over the past 365 days ago? I've talked to quite a number of people about how was the year like and a lot said that it was a crap year. I couldn't agree any more. But for the other group of people who had like a brilliant year, most of them are because of relationships. The year 2009 was the epic year of marriages with more than 20 friends getting married (some of course to each other). EPIC. And it was also the epic year where new couples are formed as well with more than 10 friends got attached (again, some to each other). Doubly EPIC. Few would classify 2009 a good year based on anything else. Some achieved something in their work or their passion beyond what they can imagine before, others just generally feel like it was a good year.
2009 was a year of failure for me. Failure in nearly all aspects of life possible. And in some cases these failures are further exacerbated by the circumstances around me. I failed my course that I was almost convicted to be in, I failed to find satisfaction in my work, I failed in taking actions for myself, I failed in a relationship, I failed to connect with the OCFers (well, that's debatable) and a long list of failures that I probably have known but lost it at the moment. And of course there are some things that only I know that I am still beating myself because of my inabilities or my failed attempts at it.
What has changed as a result of my failures? Whether people know it or not (that's a test on whether you really know me), a lot of things have changed. I have become more emotional (in a suppressive manner), I have become more reclusive, I have become more cynical, I've developed an attitude of I-don't-care-about-<insert object>, I have less confidence in myself and other people and so on. You know, things that are normally bad to have in a person.
But a year of failures is generally not without a silver lining, if only one looks hard enough. That is certainly true for me. I've suddenly improved on my bass and everywhere I go there is always a tune in my head, I've had the best Bible study group a leader can ever ask for, I've rediscovered another area for work satisfaction, I've had the opportunity to shoot for a friend's wedding but the most important of all, I've rediscovered hope and grace. Without those two, I have no reason to believe that 2010 would be any better than the previous year. I would be wandering through life being in a sheer state of pessimism, annihilating every apparent good thing with my newly acquired cynicism.
So what do I think 2010 holds for me? No one has the ability of foresight but I am hoping that I reconnect with OCF but if that is not the case, then I hope that God would open the doors to another group that I can be a part of. I am hoping that I would be able to let go of my past experiences of 2009. I am hoping that I would be more Christ-like in my relationships with my friends and for my mind to be continued to be Christ-filled. I admit that 2009 hasn't been a good year in terms of my Christian walk but if there is one thing that I learned from the failures of 2009 is that God has never left me despite my stubbornness.
So, in closing I look forward to the new year because there is no use to dwell in the past failures of yesteryears. Like how Jesus deals with our past sins (and those that are yet to come) and makes us look forward to time when there is no death, sorrow or regret. It is now time to go out with the old, in with the new.
|
1 comments
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
