It’s about 3 hours away from the Christmas dinner and I’m feeling the familiar yet unusual tinge of excitement in anticipation for it. Before this day clocks down into a closure, I will like to wish you a Merry Christmas and I hope that the true spirit of Christmas will touch you.

Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday

Last evening, I was having my dinner in the living room with the television set turned on. This is the usual practice in this household having the television set left on without anyone really watching at that time of the night. A certain advertisement caught my attention for almost a full minute and threw me off focus in devouring my meal. It was a commercial for a rather renowned brand of jewellery in Singapore and they were show-casing their latest line of designs designed by a prominent Singaporean pop song writer and stage performer. Apart from the glittery display, the theme of the commercial was directed towards ‘giving’ wholeheartedly during this December season of festivities. It is this time of the season once again to ‘give’ and to ‘receive’ and it’s no surprise that businesses will employ this strategy to entice consumers to spend in the progressive build up to Christmas. In the eyes of most Singaporeans, Non-Christians and most Christians alike, Christmas is perhaps, a season of giving and receiving gifts, log cakes and sweets, fattened hams and turkeys and fancifully decorated lights at the heart of Orchard road. In my opinion, this prevailing phenomenon is one of the most unforgiving misconceptions that hasn’t really been openly dealt with.

Christmas to me in my younger days as a boy , would be an anticipation that I’ll get presents that I truly desired ,a family get together with food and drinks in abundance without missing out on the turkey and the dreaded long mass at church. I don’t deny that there’s a strange feeling of excitement whenever we attended midnight-mass at Holy Family church perhaps due to the fact that everyone was there in unison to usher in the great day and that everyone was forced to stay awake past midnight. However , this excitement died down everytime the priest started to get draggy and that I’ll rather be home to open up presents.


Throughout my 27 years, I’ve received presents of different shapes,sizes and values packed with differing intentions which never fail to evoke mixed feelings and perceptions. In my opinion, the ‘givers’ could possibly fall into 3 main categories, namely the sincere giver, the prideful giver and lastly the giver who gives to show that he/she is giving..

The sincere giver is one who studies what his recipient would possibly like as a gift and that he/she will take time and effort to source for that gift.

The prideful giver is one who buys something of a respectable value for the sake of buying it just for namesake which may not be possibly useful to the recipient.

The giver who gives to show that he/she is giving, simply buys anything which is deemed cheap or recycles unwanted gifts.

In my humble attempt in clearing the misconception of what the media presents Christmas to be, I hope that you’ll bear with me as you allow your eyes to gaze through the following. To me, there is one rather commonly used verse from the book of John in the bible which represents that true essence of Christmas. The verse, John 3:16- For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. fully exemplifies God’s love for us. The Lord loves us all so much that he gave us his only son, Jesus Christ, not to condemn the world but to die on the cross to pay for our debts! That I believe is and can possibly be the only one gift that everyone needs which is there for everyone to inherit. Through his son’s death a bridge is forged between the Lord and us and that we will inherit eternal life, only if we choose to believe. Christmas day marks the time when Jesus Christ was born more than 2000 years ago. A day certainly to remember God’s unconditional love for us.

A few years ago, an ex-holy family priest cited in his Christmas mass homily that Christmas day has become an event filled with much elaborated celebrations with the birthday boy being left unattended to and simply not remembered. I can see this happening in many more years to come.

Our 'perfect' world

I hate this world for what it is sometimes,

the harsh realities masked by many lies.

You wake up to take a shower , it’s money!!!

You leave home and take a bus , it’s money!!!

You feel hungry, it’s money!!!

You fall ill , it’s money!!!

You seek a new shelter , it’s money!!!

You fall in love , it’s money!!!

You feel lonely, it’s is money!!!

You feel warm , it’s money!!!

You feel thirsty, it’s money!!!

You die , it’s money!!!

Living in the world championed by capitalistic ideals, makes it hard sometimes for each individual to discern the ‘right’ from ‘wrong’ and to bravely live out that choice.
Many would have their choices and actions in life based upon the economic gain they would or could possibly attain.

It is alarming and yet saddening to know that we fall at times as slaves to material pursuits which appear to determine our status position in society. Often we are judged according to the objects we own, our achievements and not the values we might possess that are originally ‘human’. The values of compassion, selflessness, integrity, etc have seemed to fade away from this world’s beliefs.

The world we all know is sadly a world fraud with an array of distorted images and ideologies which in my opinion, mould the cold and tainted heart within us.

(This is not an attempt to challenge any set of philosophies of which you might live by but serves as a surface interpretation of reality.)

Set me free

It’s been approximately 2 months since the start of the new term for me and before you even think of giving a pat on my back, I’ve got a confession to make. I’ve not been attending classes as frequently as I should to the point of not being present to collect a few set of lecture materials. The point is that I have not picked myself up from the ‘fall’ let alone come to terms with it. The unfamiliar faces amidst the harsh surroundings in school failed to ease the tension from within.

“ The ship has been stagnant for weeks with sails that seem all too redundant, as the winds of hope have not blown in its direction.”

The days have passed me by with my mind being stranded and left idling at that junction. I have not taken a further step nor progressed. It’s simply a torture to live a grossly disfigured life with issues which seem to take control of your every doing such that it handicaps you from leading the ‘normal’ life. With difficulties no one can really comprehend, intentions misunderstood, it feels like a stroll out alone in a park on a stormy night.

Perhaps I need time off to deal with my personal issues mostly psychological before positive events can even take place again.

I need to be liberated….

Sound is fixed

Just managed to replace the faulty existing web-based audio player which has been inactive for quite awhile with a newly discovered variation. A good amount of time which I'll not disclose,has been spent selecting the tracks on my playlist and the result, an extremely sore neck!! Nevertheless, please enjoy! : P

The wound from the 6 arrows of truth remains raw.

It’s been about a week since the results of the supposed final examinations were unveiled before me and the pain and disappointment seem to linger on. I would expect the aftershocks to persist through for many more months and perhaps years only to leave an unwanted scar. The scar that is very much avoided and despised upon in this society.

I recall receiving the news on this terminal that I’m typing this entry on, that fateful day with a queer snigger followed by a bolt of laughter which in turn led me to inevitably plunge into greater depths of despair. It’s not that I was expecting something good out of the examinations for I knew where I stand due to my inadequate attempt at preparation. However , I chose to mask all negative feelings by hoping that the odds would miraculously be conquered somehow. Sadly, It wasn’t meant to be. It only makes matters worse when you have relatives who appear to be concerned and yet gloat over your downfall behind your back.

I’ve let my family,some close friends, f and myself down. As for now, I can only hope to steer this ship and brave the choppy waters with divine guidance from the One above.

A Pethead's dream came true

The Pet shop boys were somehow arranged to perform last that eventful night and that to me was simply just saving the best thing for the last. As the logistic crew members set up the stage for the boys, I found it hard to mentally configure myself for the much awaited experience though it wasn’t my 1st time catching them live on stage.

The crowd waited in anticipation and soon we were presented with the musical interlude, God willing used as an introductory anthem while the boys along with the dancers and backup singers walked up to the stage-front in a relatively slow-motion, synchronized fashion. The brilliant choreography of the dancers complimenting the backdrop projection theatrical display was visually mesmerizing but the stage was brought to life with the unique voice of Neil accompanied by synthesizer sounds courtesy of Chris. I was totally impressed with how the slick and smart looking costumes Neil wore, opposed and yet complimented the sporty image of a pull-over, jeans and baseball cap combination of Chris.

Irresistible charm of Neil Tennant

Stillness of the tech-wizard, Chris Lowe

The setlist was comprehensive as it included past hits as well as newly released materials from the latest album. I was totally intrigued by the fact that I was granted with not 1 or 2 but 4,yes!4 songs of which I’ve been hoping to see them perform from the wishlist of my previous post. I guess I have just 2 words to sum up the whole experience and encounter: Absolutely Fabulous!

Me in the midst of the crowd taken by f

PETSHOPBOYS@SINGFEST SETLIST

God willing
Left to my own devices
Suburbia
Can you forgive her?
Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)/Integral
Minimal/Shopping
Heart
Always on my mind
Domino Dancing
Where the streets have no name (I can’t take my eyes off you)
Paninaro
The Sodom and Gomorrah Show
West end girls

Encore:

It’s a sin
Go west

My Boys are coming back!

The Pet shop boys which comprises of frontman Neil Tennant (vocals) and Chris lowe (keyboard) was formed in 1981 shortly after the two who shared passion for dance music met by chance in an electronic shop at Kings road (London).

Widely noted as prolific song writers in the pop music industry, Neil and chris are able to remarkably capture elements from their individual life experiences ,social and political occurrences to seeing things in the perspectives of different social roles and discovery of ones’ true sexual orientation,to be true to oneself and translate them into lyrics.Blending serious and relevant issues with pop sounds became what the boys were ingeniously known for.

Their popularity and fan base began to decline especially in the US when Neil came out of the closet during an interview conducted by a gay magazine shortly after the album ,Very (1993) was released. The androgynous quality of most of their lyrical content primarily explains the appeal for their music even by the heterosexual community. Despite being disassociated with mainstream music, the Pet shop boys have evolved tremendously throughout the years from experimentation with different genres yet maintaining their fundamental principles to become one of the most enduring pop acts of all time.

So much for my brief introductory interpretation of the boys and not to conceal my excitement any further here’s the news that you’re probably aware of already. The Pet shop boys will be performing on the 8th of August at SINGFEST, an annual, open-air musical event! I’ve managed to get myself a ticket earlier last evening and currently in the midst of mental preparation for it! This event happens to coincide with the Pet shop boys Fundamental world tour and it wouldn’t be surprising if most of the songs to be performed are taken from the Fundamental album. I’m not asking for too much but hope that the boys will perform just 2 or 3 from my list of personal favourites at least. : P


My list of favourites not in any logical order:

Left to my own devices
Rent
Jealousy
A different point of view
Liberation
Was it worth it ?
Domino dancing
Being boring
The theatre
Shameless
It’s a sin
Losing my mind
King’s cross
Love comes quickly
Heart
I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it anymore
London

Christoper Charles Collins aka Chris Latta

As the ranking of the movie, Transformers remains at 2nd spot in the Singapore Movie Box office since 3 weeks of its release, it gives me no better time than now to pay tribute in honour of the late Chris Latta. Known to breathe life to the character from the decepticon camp, Starscream, he died of a speculated throat cancer or a possible heart attack in 1994. Fans from all over the world will never forget his high-pitched, rasping voice which is almost impossible for anyone to replicate.

An escape well taken

Having rested for the past 2 weeks since I’ve had come back from Malacca, I guess it’s time for me to kick start off this entry while the memories of the eventful trip are still fresh.:P

The day began with a mad rush of bathroom activities which I shall not elaborate. I was scheduled to wake up at 6am but only managed to hear the perpetually ringing alarm at the stroke of 630 and was totally pressed for time. While intensely engaged in the showering routine, I mentally ran through the last minute items I had to squeeze into my bag,one of the items included my toothbrush! :P The ‘plan’ was to hail a cab to pick f from her home and then head to the designated pick-up point, lavender where we’ll board the coach which will take us to Malacca! Despite the morning traffic , everything went on smoothly and we were well on schedule. (Even had time to get a morning bite from a nearby bakery)

There were a few coaches around that area of waiting and we identified the one to board from the given registered number plate of the vehicle written on the slip of the receipt given. I don’t think I need to describe how the coach looked like but there was just something about the number plate of coach that we were assigned to. Of all possible combination of numbers AER 666 was displayed on the plate! In Christianity, the numbers 666 which represent the mark of the beast, hold a certain level of significance in the book of revelation from the bible. The mark which is often speculated to be an IC chip, is to be implanted on the right hand or forehead of the bearer. During the end times, it is believed that individuals found not bearing that mark will not be allowed to buy or sell and eventually be prosecuted. However, I prevented myself from dwelling too deeply into the matter but instead made a conscious effort to observe other things that were within sight. f and I were engaging in light conversational topics and expressed anticipation and eagerness with regards to the trip in the comfort of our seats. Soon enough, the front door was closed and we were well on our way, finally!

The draggy 4hr ++ journey was punctuated with occasional humps and bumps which seemed rather therapeutic for snoozing off and that I’ve had become a victim of, while fighting to stay awake to enjoy the unfamiliar visual display. At certain points of the journey , I would make a conscious effort to check if f was doing fine and I think she did the same for me. (Caught her sleeping most of the time by the way!) :P
The interval of the ride came at the approximately mid-point of the distance and the coach stopped over at a certain refreshment station. Passengers were expected to answer nature’s call and probably to get light snacks to prepare themselves for the next half of the coach ride.

The second part of the journey was some what more bearable perhaps due to psychological reassurance that we’re indeed not far from our destination. As the coach made an exit from the expressway, the surroundings started to look slightly more rural than expected. The mix of modern commercial as well as residential architecture and what appeared to be houses with zinc roof indicated a segregation between the rich and the poor. It didn’t take long before we realize that we were in Malacca from the signboards displayed along the winding roads.
Selamat datang melaka!

When we reached the central bus terminal of Malacca, we happened to stumble upon an authorized money changing counter while searching for the location to wait for a driver who was to take us to our hotel. Bearing in mind that it wouldn’t be that convenient to locate another money changing counter, we decided to change our Singapore dollars to the Malaysian ringgit. F and I came to a decision that we’ll change S$300 for a start after coming to know the the exchange rate at that moment was 2.22 . What was seeming spooky or call it coincidental if you’d like, was that the ringgit received amounted to RM$666!*I looked at f in disbelieve as I handed her the receipt*Although, it’s hard not to suspect that a bad omen would inevitably come to pass, I mentally reassure myself that the almighty above has his watchful eyes cast upon us. Recognised by the transtar sticker tag which we had stuck on our shirts ,we were approached by the arranged driver who drove us to our hotel. Through our short conversation with the driver, we managed to find out the famous eateries of Malacca apart from the few peranakan restaurants that we are aware of. We were told that there is a bar ku teh stall which opens in the evening till the wee hours of the morning and there are a few chicken rice stalls all situated within walking distance from the hotel. I noticed that there were many eateries which offered chicken rice served with rice balls instead of fragrant rice and that chicken rice seemed to be a local favourite amongst the people there. Perhaps one of the many ways to partially understand the culture of any society could jolly well be through the food enjoyed by its local people.

The 1st glimpse of our supposedly rated 4-star hotel,(Hotel Equatorial Malacca) failed to engrave a deep impression, as it looked like a standard prototype of something very ordinary. However, the staff were exceptionally accommodating as we made several requests, including a smoke-free room and that our room was to be facing a desirable view. To save time, we left our hotel room after unloading our luggage without completely scrutinizing the overall appearance and layout of the room. It was our very 1st time in Malacca town and we didn’t really have any preconceived ideas on where specifically to explore and what to do. We approached the hotel concierge for some sound recommendations which we made notes of on the map provided. Due to time constraint of less than a full day, we decided not to visit the various museums, churches and other places of interest but stay committed on a food rampage and a constant look out for traditional peranakan artifacts and antiques. We took a walk to Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, a street where the Baba Nyonya Neritage House as well as many peranakan antique shops were situated. Though, we were told that that street was to be of short walking distance away from where we started , it almost felt like eternity especially with an empty stomach. As we approached our destination, I realized that the surroundings of Malacca town looked authentically untampered, in other words, less touristy compared to many holiday hot spots. One could, and possibly would perhaps describe the setting in parallel to that of Singapore in the mid sixties to early seventies.

In chronological order, we devoured……..
DAY 1
Wan tan mee – Possibly one of the best I’ve tried although garnished with pork lard.
Chen dol with kidney beans – f wasn’t impressed at all apart from the generous serving of gula melaka poured all over.
2 Scoops of Baskin-Robbins Ice-cream – Mint with white chocolate and Raspberry cheese!
Nyonya dinner at Makko Nyonya Restaurant – Comprising of Ayam ponteh , Beef rendang and chap chye which we felt were kindof over-rated .
Hawjian (Oyster fried with eggs) and Cha siew and dao sa baos for supper – baos were significantly bigger than what we can get in Singapore with fillings only to drool for.

DAY 2
American buffet breakfast
Chicken rice ball – Rice balls looked better than how they really tasted but the chicken was fantastic!
A&W rootbear float and waffle with ice-cream

We managed explore and scan through the street of Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock as well as the inter- connecting lanes. There were a few shops catered for the avid collector of antiques and artifacts which were clear representations of the nyonya culture including the nyonya kebaya (Traditional nyonya women attire) with accessories, hand-painted vases and cutleries and unique tiles.


Apart from engaging in tango with our taste buds and experiencing the authentic sights of a not-so touristified Malacca ,I began to realize that the Malaccan Chinese community displayed a subtle yet enduring natural state of contentment and as a result ,are truly happy with the different roles they play and the way life is for them despite being a less favoured race on Malaysian soil. It is truly enlightening to know that they are able to derive satisfaction from their repetitively mundane activities. This indeed spells a great contrast from the ‘Singaporean Dream or ideal lifestyle’ achieved by slogging our guts out to attain the status symbol of owning a prestigious apartment, car and substantial spending power to finance a comfortable way of living. Yet, some of us may even find it hard to flag that smile even if the ‘Singaporean essentials’ have been eventually achieved. Being a victim of this very Singaporean phenomenon, I can somewhat predict what is probably going through your mind at this moment but I urge you not to use ‘ the different situations that we’re subjected to’ as in excuse to mystify the simple journey of attaining happiness. Perhaps it would be helpful to take an occasional breather by conducting a self-administered check to question our purposes by asking ourselves ‘ Why do we even do what we do each day ? ‘.

A trip at last!

Like Yesterday,the day that had just passed ,promised to be another day of a food trail experience with f ,although the primary objective was to visit a couple of travel agencies in order to plan for a possible short trip. With these 2 things in mind, the place where one would instinctively think of is nowherelse but , Beach Rd Food Centre aka the army market and Golden Mile Complex where travel bookings are done.

Having played the role of an instigator relatively well, I managed to convince f that we should give a famous bar chor mee stall a try. It is located within a coffee shop approximately a 100 metres away from the Beach Rd Food Centre. Being the 1st meal of the day for the both of us, we gobbled up the bar chor meepok ,like hungry children despite it being satisfactory in terms of "standard". To satisfy our craving for a sweet little something, we made our way to Beach Rd Food centre to have waffle with chocolate dip and a bowl of icy-cool chin chow to wash down all that oil.

Racing against time, we immediately headed straight to Golden Mile Complex as soon as we were done with our meal. Due to time(5 days of f's leave left) and money constraints ,we came to the conclusion that we'll go on a 2D 1N trip to Malacca that is ,if we're really going. We also discovered that the competing travel agencies offered about the same rates for each individual tour packages. After much anticipation and discussion,we finally came to a consensus that the trip to be,was a 2D 1N Malacca stay via a Transtar coach! We left the travel agency in high spirits after confirming our booking. (28th to the 29th of June) As we all know, Malacca is a place of rich Peranankan Heritage and thus there is much to be discovered and an experience worth looking forward to! :-D

The loyal servant responds!

Having just less than 5 hrs of rest for the past 2 nights, I've had originally decided that tonight's agenda would be to wind it off and fall into deep sleep as I listen to some light music. While having the runs as I sat on the toilet bowl just an hour ago, I began to reflect upon the happenings of the earlier part of the day and felt a strong urge to post this entry...

Approximately a month ago,while trying hard to prepare for my very last examination paper, I was told of the news that one of our priests from Holy Family Katong church, Fr Aloysius Ong, will be posted out of our parish for further studies in Rome. The course would last for a duration of 2 years and following that, he will serve his time in the seminary(Singapore) as a mentor and a teacher to future aspiring young priests. This news came as a shocker for me and I needed alittle time to regain my orientation to resume my activities for that day. We were all caught unexpected due to the rather short notice yet at the same time I wasn't surprised that Fr Aloy would be called upon to shoulder greater responsibilities given his intellect and untapped abilities.

Fr Aloy is probably making his way to Changi Airport,Terminal 1 at this very moment to catch his fight via Qatar airways at 710am.(Fight information courtesy of f) Like myself,the parishioners of Holy Family Church will remember Fr Aloy for his natural ability to structure his thoughts and ideas systematically and relate scripture readings and contemporary science fiction ideologies(Starwars,LOTR etc) to the current events of our daily lives in his inspiring homilies. "His silent presence" as quoted by Fr Patrick Goh, will be fondly missed by all of us from Holy Family Parish!

I pray that the Lord will shower Fr Aloy with all the guidance and strength to conquer all odds as he embark on this new journey. In Jesus' name, Amen!

We all feel better in the dark

After having a short phone conversation with a close friend ,Ron last night , I was pleased to be in bed while the sky was still dark. It's been quite a while since I last closed my eyes without having to resist the light rays from the sun. Feeling at ease with myself , I soon fell into hibernation and was transported back to the time when I was still in my kindergarten school days...

The scene which was captured included my grandma , auntie cheng neo and myself. Auntie cheng neo specifically told me to buy my grandma a packet of fish ball noodles from her favourite stall which was walking distance from where my grandma was residing. The reason being that grandma's 3-room public apartment at marine parade would eventually be sold and that it wouldn't be easy for her to have the fish ball noodles after moving out. Though part of the content and the reasoning behind the outcome weren't what was to be in reality, I felt comforted and experienced the peace of mind that I've not felt a long time as I seeked temporary refuge in that phase of my childhood...

I wouldn't say that I'm experiencing a great deal of turmoil currently but this current phase of my life dictates more reasons for worries. To blatantly put it, "life just gets worse with each passing day".

Just stepped out of the toilet after taking a well-deserved shower and had the sudden urge to do a post before I take my rest. I've come to realise and conclude that the toilet is the place to be ,to reflect upon the events that have taken place throughout the day or simply dwell upon any thoughts or ideas that come to mind.(while taking a shower that is , and not just a pee or a poo.) It's also how I've managed to come out with my new header description if you would care to observe. :-P

It was a fairly relaxing day for me as I've had spent the entire time at home gorging myself with my basic 2 -3 meals plus a portion of a slice of the pound cake baked by cousin Milton , sis A , f and me of cos! Due to the festive obligation of "The ba chang" day , I downed a nonya chang and a hokkien chang.(Courtesy of dolly's mum who is gifted with fine culinary skills) Despite that known fact, I felt that I couldn't really distinguish between dolly's mum version of the nonya and hokkien. Apart from the presence of the different ingredients used, they kindof tasted the same which was something quite unusual as the difference in taste between the 2 is supposedly known to be quite distinct. I've always believed in honesty and I'm not going to display my 2 thumps-up just because dolly's my 'sister' and a great friend. So dolly,all I can say now is that the chang's okkkkkkkieeeeeeee......and that I'm never a bitchy food-critique.

As for the baking, I would say that it was a success despite it not really turning out the way we've wanted it to be. The pound cake was rather 'lite and fluffy' and could jolly well be mistaken as a cousin of the chiffion or the sponge cake instead of retaining a satisfactory level of density.Nevertheless, the entire baking process was enjoyable with the relevent task well delegated. To the 4 of us involved,keep up the great effort! :- )

It's certainly a day with many reasons to remember!

Operation newbie : Ready, Get set and GO!

Call me a slower starter or a sua ku but it's not going to deter me from having a go at this. It's just amazing how technology has evolved the past 20 years or so and at present,adequately equipping us with the necessary infrastructure to unimaginably publish our thoughts,views and ideas on this virtual world. For better or worse as the title of this blogsite suggest, it's for all of us to make positive use of and to fully appreciate...

At the sacred moment of my very 1st post,I'm currently experimenting with blogger's set of tool bar which obviously strike an uncanny resemblance to that of the one from microsoft office while listening to a melodious track entitled 'breathe' sang by Andy bell from Erasure in the comfort of my bedroom. It's certainly one of the best singles(in my opinion) after the album Loveboat which was generally regarded the lowest point in Erasure's career. Mid tempo love track with a catchy melody and emotionally charged lyrical content, * simply mind-numbing*. :-D

Believe it or not, but I should be up from bed in less than 5hrs. Nothing major to accomplish later but to deliver ba changs to f's place and probably spend the day with her and collect some more ba changs from dolly later at night if time permits. I know what you're probably thinking ,but my life doesn't revolve around pyramid-shaped rice lumps alone! :-P