The grand old lady
Guess where I was last night.
I did a quick revision.
In the toilet.
I know its an odd place to study, but at least it was peaceful and conducive enough for me to complete a whole chapter on economics.
Mum asked me to give her a ride to the Kallang Stadium where she will be taking her examination for the Basic Exercise Certification. She aims to be a certified fitness instructor so this examination will be the one of the hurdles for her.
Travelling from here to home would take at least an hour and a half. Since the examination lasts for an hour, I decided to wait for her.
So I had to park my scooter. I tried to find a motorcycle parking lot around the stadium. Its a very large area, the car park itself was about the size of a soccer field.
But I couldnt find any motorcycle lot and I really didnt want to do an illegal parking and get fined again, so I decided to park the scooter at a car lot. After tearing up a coupon, I entered the stadium.
Sunset by the stadium by Justin
Aptly nicknamed as ‘the grand old lady’, it was a grand stadium. It was large and rather spectacular. I watched the caretakers tending to the stadium field, some dragging in large water hoses while others water the grass of the field.
National Day celebrations by Elfonse
The stadium has hosted many different events here such as the National day celebrations, football leagues and other events. And I remember the last time when I went here with the school that I was formerly attached with, to give support to the military band performance.
Singapore Youth Festival 2004
So many memories here.
Which makes it a little sad for me to hear that this stadium will be torn down come next year.
It was nice and quiet so I sat facing the stadium to do a little studying. But as the sun set, it got increasingly difficult to see and I went to the nearest lighted area. The gym was for members only and I wasnt allowed in the office. The only well lighted area that I could go to was the ladies.
Engrossed with the book, time passed by quickly and mum was already done with her examination. I saw the throngs of people coming out the theaterette. Many of them has an anguished look to them. It must have been a difficult paper.
A Girl : Things that I studied didnt come out and the things I didnt studied came up!
A Lady : The instructor emphasized on the wrong topics
A Girl : Do you know that 10 people retook this examination?
A Lady : Oh dear! This is so disheartening!
Mum popped out eventually and I asked her how she felt. She gave a brave smile and said, “It was scary, but God bless, I’ll be fine”.
We headed to where I parked my scooter and I noticed a white slip stuck to my scooter. Another fine! I was fined for ‘parking at an area not designated for it’
Honestly!
What is wrong with these people? Where on earth am I supposed to park when there are no lots for it?
It was really getting under my nerves. Mum saw how worked out I was that she decided to bring me to the ‘Meet the People’ session where I can air my griveances to the constituency minister.
As much as I enjoy riding, sometimes I feel that it can bring out the worst in me. I have a very short temper and get frustrated easily.
Is this normal?
Asknlearn staff meetup
I had a company meeting yesterday. Since the location was further on to the Eastern part of Singapore, I travelled for the first time on my scooter to the ECP expressway.
On the highway, I passed by the heart of the city and saw the tall skyscrapers of the CBD area. And as I passed by the Nicoll highway, I was enthralled by the enchanting sight of the tall buildings by the river leading to the sea.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Which makes it quite amazing that just about two years ago, this same place, made the entire nation in a moment of trepidation as they listen to the news of the Nicoll Highway collapse incident.
It was a long ride to the boss’s house. With no form of entertainment for me except for to look at the crazy motorists on the road zig-zagging without prior signalling and to curse and shout at the taxis suddenly cutting in my way.
At length, I reached the Boss’s place and met and mingled the other educators and staff there. There was Dzul and Deanna, both of whom I met while during our orientation days last year.
My previous supervisor, Mei Yun, me and Deanna
It was the typical motivational speech, company vision, new things that will come for the future and what nots. Some people might be cynical about these motivational speeches. Granted that I include one of them sometimes, but at the same time though, I felt quite blessed that I was with Asknlearn after all that I’ve been through with the previous companies that I have worked with.
Our game team posing next to the ‘spiderweb’ that we broke
Working life understandably does have its problem but at least I can ask them for help whenever I feel that I couldnt cope with something. The best environment is where everyone feels they belong and look out for each other.
I was supposed to meet up with my friends Vai and Juli in Orchard. After getting lost around the roads for a few minutes and screaming, “Where am I? Where am I?” I finally managed to stumble into the city area and then got myself stuck behind a procession of taxis and cars then magically finding myself entering a carpark behind a shopping center complex.
I can feel the eyes of other motorcyclists as they see me park my scooter. I was the only female rider there in the already full parking area.
I swooshed out my hair like a shampoo commercial and sashayed out of the parking lot.
Anyway, I met up with Vai first and updated each other on what’s new in our lives.
Me : How did the birthday event go?
Vai : It was great! Thank you for helping out in the powerpoint slides. It was spectacular. Her entire family loved it.
Me : Not a problem 🙂
Some while after, Juli turned up and the playful catfight began.
Vai : Ah, someone went shopping I see. No wonder you are late.
Juli : Excuse me! This is for school. We are having a dinner function at a community center!
Vai : Community center? That’s such a cheap place. I had mine at a hotel!
Juli : What hotel? Hotel 81 is it? (Hotel 81 is a budget hotel)
We went to lido to watch this movie called pretty persuasion which I throughly enjoyed. It was a satirical dark comedy with spectacular dialogues and perfect characters which a rather shocking ending.
The night ended much too quickly though with Juli needing to leave to get ready for her marathon the next day.
Juli : And you, Vai, I’ll see you there at 6.30 am
Vai : But I’m sick! Who knows if tomorrow I would die!
Juli : I don’t care! If you can still stand up and walk right now, you can still run for tomorrow.
Vai : Why doesn’t Marina go for it?
Juli : That’s because she never signed up for it not like SOME people who sign up for things but never turns up at the last minute.
Vai : You women are always ganging up on me.
I have the funniest friends.
Community clicks in Boon Lay
I was viewing the photoclicks competition page and saw the finalists from the Boon Lay CC category.
I must say that I’m very impressed by the way that the photographers captured their images – it was unique, something that I would not have thought of myself.
I was there, on Sunday to participate, just for the fun of it. I signed up for it months ago as I was a photovideoi member. Besides, Boon Lay was rather near where I lived.
The editor for magazine, John Cosgrove was there, to conduct a quick workshop. It was the same person who conducted the macro workshop that I attended in February.
He ended the workshop and started the competition. The theme was, “Life in the HDB block”. The 100 participants and I went off to shoot pictures in the heartlands.
It was a rather warm day and soon I was perspiring and fidgeting and began pawing at things.
I took shots of the housing blocks from different angles. I climbed up the flight of stairs to see view from the top. I sat on the ground to see view from the bottom.
After a few hours, I couldnt concentrate in the heat and decided to just walk casually around the neighbourhood. I stumbled upon a rather pretty farm and stood there admiring. Its rural-ish charms reminded me much of my old house before our relocation.
I saw a farmer watering the vegetables and I shouted out to him
me : Nice vegetables uncle!
farmer : Haha! Yes! But its not mine. This is shared with other residents here
me : What beautiful plants
An auntie comes near us pushing her groceries
me : Isnt this such a lovely farm?
auntie : Yes. Too bad we will be leaving next year
me : What? Why?
auntie : We are being relocated. These houses here are over 40 years.
me : Really? Doesnt look it though.
auntie : I hope that our new place will have good amenities.
—
I walked around and saw other photographers taking their pictures. I smiled and said hellos and observed them deep in concentration. I saw a rather familliar face.
Me : Hey, havent I seen you before? You were at the macro workshop
He : I dont remember. I go to too many shoots. Do you always go photographing solo?
Me : Yeah, I dont have much friends who like photography.
He : Maybe you can join my friends and I on our shoots.
Me : Sounds great 🙂
In time it was time to return to the community center to submit our shots. There were a multitude of people there queing up already.
The results were announced soonafter. I saw and admired the lovely pictures by the top 10 finalists. Mr Familliar was one of them – He was very talented.
This is my submission, it wasnt in the top 10 but I’m still pleased with it.
Hopefully there will be another one next year. It was a lot of fun! (apart from the heat) Will you join me if there will be one the next time?
O what a day!
Cartcart’s coming to Singapore!
My dearest has just recently booked his flight to Singapore. He’ll be here around the end of December so a big chance that we’ll spend Hari Raya together!
I’m most excited! I miss him so much, that it gets so depressing, it’s unbelievable.
Now where shall I take him to look around?
There are a couple of places where I could bring him – such as the more popular destinations such as the Sentosa Island for a day of frolicking at the beach or go to the different attractions there.
We could go to the esplanade together and catch a musical concert in the halls inside or just chill out by the bay and to listen to the band playing by the sea.
Maybe even going to the zoo (though it has been years since I’ve last been there) to see all sorts of animals in an ‘open concept’ environment and the night safari after that.
Or we could go the ethnic way and visit a tea house in Chinatown, eat delicious curries and pratas and see the Sri Mariamam Temple in Little India while I drag him to Geylang Serai or Arab Street to have him fitted with a Songkok (Malay Hat), Kain Samping (Kind of like a Sarong) and Capal (Malay Sandals) and visit the Sultan Mosque
Or we could go the urban way and let him see the heart of the city while we visit city hall and walk along war memorial to the parliament house, or to the Elgin bridge as we watch the bum boats pass by the rivers of Clarke quay.
I’d like to show him the art museum, the kitchy Haw Par Villa and if he’s up to it, maybe go to the rustic charms of Pulau Ubin or to the East Coast Park.
We’ll go to the Botanic Garden to see the beautiful flora and have a little picnic while the concert plays on.
But I would be happy even doing simple things with him, like eating at a hawker center together with him and let him sample a few local favourites, going to the shopping center together with him to catch a movie (even though I believe movie tickets are horribly overpriced)
I’ll let him have a first hand experience of the public transportation here and we could compare the prices of things when we go shopping, be it for groceries at Fairprice or electrical items at Sim Lim Square or even books at the borders book store.
And then a walk along Orchard road to visit the Istana and then stroll along the streets at night time, which, by then be full of lights and decorations.
And obviously since I’m a Jurong girl, I won’t forget to let him see the beautiful lakeside park that we have here and we’ll stroll by the Chinese Gardens and sit down by the bench watch the beautiful and tranquil scene in front of us.
We could have breakfast in the Bird Park, sipping our breakfast tea while birds of a multitude of colours surround us.
And since Cartcart is such a Maths-lover, We could even go to the Science Center which is just a couple of minutes ride from here. I think he’ll like it 🙂
I’ll even let him try a taste of durian. It will be interesting I think. I’ve never heard of an European eating durians before. Have you?
I’m like da king of fruits!
Creative Vision M vs Sony MP3 Flash Walkman. Which will you choose?
At one point of time I wanted to get a Creative Vision M. It had remarkable specifications for an MP3 player – At 30 GB, it also had a LCD display where you can play movies and view images.
About $450 Singapore Dollars
I knew it would be useful for when storing my digital photographs when I am travelling. Moreover, it had a voice recorder should I decide to do a podcast on a spur.
Very sweet.
Something caught my eye recently though – The new Sony MP3 flash walkman, though it is only 1GB, it had this amazing capability of charging in just 3 minutes! Plus it was sleek, small and stylish.
$179 Singapore Dollars
I think it would be perfect for my long road journeys.
The difficult thing to do right now is to decide between the two. Which one do I choose?
*thinks*
*thinks*
*and ponders some more*
In the end … none! Let me pay the bills first and then see how much money I have left 😛
Jam Jam, Human Jam
There was a fireworks festival at the Esplanade yesterday. All through the area was a sea of people along the Marina Square shopping center all the way to the Esplanade by the bay.
Normally I would enjoy watching fireworks. But instead of staying for the fireworks display, me and my brother rushed and snaked through the throngs of people. We knew that there was going to be a huge jam once the display was over.
There we were, squeezing though people and rushing to find the carpark while the sky lighted up with red, green, blue and yellow flames. People screaming in delight and children jumping up and down and everyone pointing to the sky.
At last we found the carpark and in the maze of cars we finally found the scooter. we hopped on and went off.
Unfortunately for us, just when we left the carpark and on the road, that was when the fireworks display ended.
Suddenly the road was streamed full of pedestrians jaywalking and cutting across. Traffic was at a standstill. I was thoroughly annoyed
And there I was thinking, “Why on earth am I here in the city area on a saturday?”
Then I remembered, “Its because I needed to go to the library@Esplanade to borrow some literature videos. Other branches did not have them and I’m only free during the weekends”
Oh bother.
The day of empowerment
Just yesterday, I was helping Vai with a powerpoint presentation that he needed help in. Vai was a classmate from Jurong Institute.
Me : What? So simple like this also you dont know?
Vai : $*&$*(&@$!
Me : Be nice. You’re at my mercy now. I can dont help you if I want to!
Vai : Ok ok … I’ll buy you pizza.
Me : Hey, I wanna tell you something shocking after this.
Vai : What? What is it? Tell me now. Please? Now I’m so curious. Is it about you? Tell me lah, wait, you’ll forget.
Me : Nope, you’ll have to wait.
During the powerpoint, Vai started to drum on the table. It was impressively fast!
[audio:vaidrumming.mp3]Me : Hey you got to teach me how to do that
vai : It takes practise, you got to tap your fingers one by one slowly and then progress from there.
Me : How come you dont practise the tabla?
Vai : Those takes years to master and it uses all 5 fingers including the pinky. I just want to drum tables.
At length we were done with the powerpoint presentation.
Me : (jokingly) Now we’re done! Now get out! Get out of my house!
Vai : What? You toot you!
Me : So now I can tell you the surprise! (Hands him a helmet) I’m taking you home
Vai : Oh. My. Goodness! You have a bike? I’m so jealous. I’ve been trying for ages to get a motorcycle license.
We walked to the carpark and I showed him the scooter. After I started the scooter, he jumped in and the scooter was so unstable! I think I underestimated his weight and started to wobble and was not able to balance. I wasnt used to it that we nearly dropped the scooter at the junction.
But after that it was smooth sailing, I adjusted the way I was riding and Vai stopped fidgeting and rested comfortably at the back.
And luckily for me, We arrived in one piece. Vai thanked me profusely and we said our goodbyes.
Oh how I felt so empowered! A girl taking a guy home? On a motorcycle? Maybe its getting more common but at that point of time, I felt like wonderwoman 🙂
Celebrating National Day at Shuqun Secondary School
Today we celebrate Singapore’s 41st year of independence, and I breathe a moment of respite from a day off work.
I had a rather nice day yesterday. The school where I was attached to had a celebration. It started off with a marching parade. With the colour party holding on to the flag and ready for the march in.
The colour party
Guards of honour
Marching in parade
As the band plays along
After the parade, the students were given cards which were directions to go to their respective stations. Some went to the ‘learning stations’ where the activities reflected about Singapore and her people.
Like this Henna decoration which is commonly done by the Malays and the Indians. Isn’t this gorgeous? Just look at her intricate design.
This is supposed to be Rangoli, a traditional Indian art made of coloured rice that decorates the entrance of the house.
And this is a stick game where you’re supposed to move a stick one by one without moving the other sticks. I used to play this alot as a kid 🙂
I suppose this is another version of 5 stones? A really old school game that I haven’t seen anyone play for ages.
Down below in the canteen, a whole hubhub of activities. Bazaar games by the students and well loved pasar malam (night market) wares.
These girls are selling adorable clips and paraphernalia. I couldn’t help but to buy some. Isn’t it cute? 🙂
These girls are buying custom made keyrings.
And these girls are selling Nasi Lemak. Coconut Rice! Mmm! A delight, morning, afternoon or night time!
The cotton candy almost gave me grief. I didn’t realise how sticky and how easily it melts … It almost ruined my precious camera. It made my flash stuck and wouldnt open when I pressed the button and when I saw an error message on the display, it almost gave me a heart attack.
But cotton candy are such a staple in my childhood. I’d have one every time there was a carnival or a night market going on, with pink clouds in my hands.
This lady is from the Parent Support Group and she was selling this drink called the ‘Red Ruby’. Oh my … it was heaven I tell you. It’s made of crunchy coconut, jellies of different colour, sago seeds and fresh coconut cream and it tasted like creamy nectar of the Gods.
I loved it so much that I didn’t realise till late that someone took a picture of me drinking it.
Wht r u doing?!?!
Lovely day. I loved the whole atmosphere. One could really feel the radiation of happiness and excitement exuded by others. 🙂
So what will you be doing on national day?