I AM THE OPIUM, TAKE THE OPIUM; TAKE ME AND YOU'LL BE FREE..

2010-10-31T22:12:00.005+08:00

Your Halloween Special..

On a Theme of Escape.. 2 Local Houses..

2010-10-09T15:19:00.008+08:00

Be at the City Hall and Former Supreme Court

today and tomorrow for fun-filled activities! And maybe nostalgia for some..
.

Doors will open at 11am and close by 9pm.

See you there!

And remember to bring your snappy-snappies..

2010-07-02T09:45:00.007+08:00

Blogging is a Chore!

For 2 months and a week I have not been blogging and inertia has set in.

Now with work starting, this blog-drizzle will soon trickle down into intermittant drops resembling those from a leaky faucet. Wait! That has already begun hasn't it?

I should consider hiring a maid to help me with the blogkeeping.

Anyway, since I have promised on Facebook that I will blog before work starts,

I had better get started.

2010-04-24T01:36:00.002+08:00

Totally captivated by the beautiful aria

Amato ben tu sei la mia speranza

sung by Roberta Invernizzi as Ippolita in Vivaldi's Ercole s'ul Termodonte..

2010-04-22T23:39:00.004+08:00

Sanctus Judas Thaddeus, Ora Pro Me!

Most holy apostle, Saint Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honours and invokes you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone. Make use I implore you, of that particular privilege given to you, to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly that I may obtain an upper second class honours and that I may praise God with you and all the elect forever. I promise, O blessed Saint Jude, to be mindful of this great favour, to always honour you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen.

2010-04-21T02:07:00.005+08:00

Harphie Berthdae to (Mumu) Chew =)

Our surprise party was a success! HEee hEEe heEE..

And you so have to watch this video.. Natatawa ako!

2010-04-19T12:10:00.003+08:00

Oh so retro.. Oh so niceee..

You'll find this billboard by Mr Neo Chon Teck (Singapore's last

surviving billboard painter) outside the Singapore Art Museum..

Ming Wong's Life of Imitation comes back from the Venice Biennale and will be exhibited at the Singapore Art Museum from 22nd April to 22nd August 2010.. Click here to find out more..

2010-04-18T02:51:00.004+08:00

Finally met Zhenghannie!

After more than a year of 'it's been a long time',

'we should meet up soon' and 'when are you ever free'

exchanges over Facebook, MSN and SMS..

Went to Food for Thought at Q8 for makan siang and kopi.. And then.. Decided to kaypo the spanking new Bras Basah MRT Station.. It's the deepest station of the entire MRT system and has the system's longest escalator at 41.3 meters.. Located just in front of my church, this project has been giving us a lot of problems since work started almost 10 years ago..

. The most likeable feature of this station has got to be its roof that doubles up as a skylight and landscape element - a water-covered glass skylight.. Viewed from street level, it is a reflection pool, from the station platform, it is an immense skylight.. What is more cool about this station is that its void is designed as a huge light reflector.. The sloping wall picks up the diffuse skylight and bounces light through huge slots into the adjacent platform space, which is below Bras Basah Road.. So even the deepest part of the station gets to receive natural light.. How eco-friendly!

2010-04-16T23:20:00.003+08:00

RE 4906..

The last lecture of my student life..

2010-04-13T11:44:00.002+08:00

Inspired by Ah-Yang's latest facebook status..

It read: Guys can u all feel it?? The end is near :x

2010-03-28T23:09:00.003+08:00

Oh Happy Day!

Nasi Padang at Rendezvous Restaurant Hock Lock Kee..

Have been wanting to try it for a long time.. Finally did today..

Then off to the Quest for Immortality exhibition at the National Musuem.. How apt.. Roman's first time at this exhibtion and my second after the gala.. Good that we didn't have to pay.. It was really crowded this time with a long queue outside the gallery..

But it was worth the squeeze because it was his first time up close with a mummy!

2010-03-21T23:56:00.000+08:00

Still looking for bricks with the words ALEXANDRA, HOCK SAN, HOCK ANN or GOH BEE stamped on it!

Many thanks to the nice people who donated those with

NANYANG, BIN KEOW, TEKONG, JURONG and PUB to me..

My mum thinks I'm crazy because I'm collecting bricks.. But the bricks I'm collecting are special because they bear the names of the local brickworks that made them.. Although having played a very important role in Singapore's nation-building efforts both in a literal and metaphorical sense, many have since closed and therefore deserve some remembering in this post..

This painting by Ng Eng Teng shows how the famous Alexandra Brickworks must have looked like in the late 1950s.. It was located at the corner of Pasir Panjang Road and Alexandra Road, approximately where the PSA Building currently stands.. Bricks from Alexandra Brickworks were used to build the Old National Library Building, Alexandra Hospital and the SIT flats at Tiong Bahru.. You might be wondering how Brickworks Estate got its name.. Well it got its name from the many brickworks like Alexandra Brickworks and Hock San Brickworks which used to exist in the area.. These were some of the earliest brickworks to be established in Singapore..

Another notable brickworks is the Old Jurong Brickworks at Jurong Road - Track 22, which have since been bulldozed in 2005.. Besides the Alexandra Brickworks, this was the other place where Ng Eng Teng came to fire his sculptures in the late 1950s.. I thought the authorities could have done better by keeping one or two chimneys at least as they do not occupy much space anyway.. In 2007, a new road nearby was opened and was named Brickland Road, probably to commemorate the many brickworks that used to exist in the area.. However, I believe the chimneys would have been a more tangible reminder of the area's past and as a landmark, maintain the area's distinctive identity..

2010-03-13T00:17:00.017+08:00

i ♥ singapore i ♥ singapore i ♥ singapore i ♥ singapore i ♥ singapore

2010-02-26T17:01:00.012+08:00

For my second SSD2213 (Singapore Urban History and Architecture)

individual assignment written last year..

Destruction, Birth and

the Persistence of Memory..
Saint Andrew’s Cathedral (1955) versus After the Fire (1960)

Cheong Soo Pieng
St. Andrew’s Cathedral
1955
Oil on board
68.5 x 58.5 cm
S2001-0001-001-0

Wee Kong Chye
After the Fire
1960
Oil on Board
158 x 45.7 cm
S1980-0809-001-0

1. Introduction

Coined by the Singapore Art Museum for the 10 years spanning 1955 to 1965, ‘A Heroic Decade’ [1] aptly describes a critical phase in Singapore’s history marked by conflicting optimism and anxiety. This was also the most intense period of practice for many important local artists such as Cheong Soo Pieng and Wee Kong Chye. Faced with the changing social conditions of that time, these artists responded by drawing from a diversity of experiences which in turn produced a wealth of powerful works that heralded the closing of an old era and the arrival of a new one.

The two works chosen for this paper comes from this ‘heroic decade’ and centre on 3 basic themes namely; destruction, birth and the persistence of memory. These works may be seen as social commentaries on the transition of an era, but besides serving as purely social commentaries, they allow us to look into the years that follow and assess how Singapore has fared in preserving heritage and forging national identity and rootedness in its citizenry.

2. St. Andrew’s Cathedral

The work of Cheong Soo Pieng St. Andrew’s Cathedral is very interesting in the sense that despite the church being cited in the work’s title, it is in fact the empty space in the foreground where Cheong tries to call our attention to. Here, we question why the discrepancy between the title and subject and subsequently try to understand the relationship of the church with respect to the empty space.

2.1. Title and Subject: The Artist’s Intentions

St. Andrew’s Cathedral stands as a silent witness to change in the civic district. From this perspective of it assuming the role as a silent witness, the focus therefore, as Cheong has intended, is not on itself, but rather on the changes occurring around it.

Perhaps, the work helps to highlight how the colonial church has always been viewed as more important then its surroundings. Physically, the spacious lawns of the church standing in direct contrast to the narrow streets of its surroundings highlight the situation.

Now, the artist tries to turn the situation around by presenting to the viewer; the colonial church relegated to the back of the work and the empty space - a very much overlooked space – brought to the foreground. It should be noted that in the empty space once stood an old shophouse; a vernacular building.

It is possible from here, then, to form an opinion as to what the artist might have further intended.

In 1955 when the work was completed, the Legislative Assembly General Elections was held. It was a landmark election in the colonial history of Singapore, whereby it was the first time a majority of the seats were to be contested as mandated by the newly-enacted Rendel Constitution, rather than be appointed by the colonial administration [2]. This event was instrumental in helping to sow the seeds for Singapore’s eventual independence.

Therefore, the church being relegated to the back of the work could come to represent the ‘retreating’ colonial administration and the empty space in the foreground could come to represent the local populace now in focus and in-charge of building Singapore’s future - from scratch.

3. After the Fire

The title of Wee Kong Chye’s work After the Fire does not indicate to us where this catastrophe might have taken place. Rather, the date of the work’s completion clues us that the setting might be the aftermath of the Kampong Potong Pasir Fire of July 1960 [3] or the unlucky Kampong Tiong Bahru Fire on Friday, 13th February 1959 [4]. The artist could have worked from a photograph if the work was of the latter.

3.1. The Artist’s Intentions

Perhaps it was not of the artist’s intention to create a work that is site specific. Instead, the artist allows the work to speak for the prevailing social conditions of a time marked by major fires and where the urban periphery were dotted with settlements of wooden housing called kampongs (labeled as slums by the authorities who consider them hazardous and an impediment to progress and development) [5].

In this work, the presence of the burnt out mounds aided by the absence of buildings and foliage, allow us to better study the spatial configuration of the kampong. Contrary to the Singapore Improvement Trust’s declaration in 1948 of its intention to “abolish the fearful slums of the town with their terrible overcrowding and their attendant evils of crime and disease” [6], the kampong in this work seem rather well spaced and organized. Here, one can discern house boundaries, roads, pathways and open spaces, pointing to a clearly demarcated configuration of the kampong.

It should be noted that the colonial authorities were of the view that the growing belt of wooden housing on the urban periphery represented a dangerously enlarging margin of the weakest official control [7]. They, in seeking to counter this problem, subscribed to what James Scott termed a ‘high modernist’ philosophy based on a ‘self-confidence about scientific and technical progress’ [8]. The solution, it was argued, was to replace the haphazard wooden housing with planned, modern accommodation.

Interestingly, Rev A. Anthony, a social worker in those years recounted how there was a sense of deepening mistrust between kampong residents and the authorities [9]. This was fueled mainly by rumors that the authorities had hired arsonists to raze kampongs, leading to a conspiracy theory. It was believed that with a kampong razed and its residents displaced, the authorities then had the legitimate right to acquire and redevelop the land. This is because the authorities had a duty, in the name of public safety and interest, to remove any remaining hazards and provide non-hazardous replacement accommodation for the kampong residents.

In fact, in the case of the Kampong Potong Pasir fire in July 1960, it was rumored that 15 minutes before any fire was to be spotted in the kampong, some men dressed in shirts (not the usual dressing for people there) were going around shouting “Fire!” causing people to run out of their houses. When one asked around where the fire was, nobody could answer. Only about 15 minutes later did people start to see the kampong burning. The fire brigade on the other hand took 25 minutes to arrive. This despite the fact that the nearest fire station was situated less than a kilometer away.

4. Destruction and Birth

In both works, the paradoxical nature of construction in which it also involves destruction is highlighted.

Firstly, both the works of Cheong and Wee show the aftermaths of destruction; namely that of demolition and fire. In both works, a sense of desolation is somehow presented to the viewer through the lack of life and activity portrayed. In St. Andrew’s Cathedral, the workers have most probably ended their shifts for the day and in After the Fire, residents have most probably left from salvaging their belongings earlier. A sense of melancholy and loss is evident and could probably be a reflection of the closing of an old era or perhaps the romantic reminiscing on the part of the artists.

More importantly, we should realize that destruction - whether intentional or unintentional, lamentable or praiseworthy - makes way for the new. Both artists might have given a thought about this when they worked on their canvases. In both works, newness is associated with the future through the use of spatial depth. The empty space in Cheong’s work and the burnt out kampong in Wee’s work allow the viewer an unobstructed view of what is in the distance. Together, their works show us, in a symbolic way; ‘the distance’ taking on the meaning of ‘the future’; the birth of a new era.

4.1. Building Typology

By comparing both works and studying the building typology of the area, one may form a better understanding of the relationship between the urban centre and the urban periphery. In Cheong’s work, we can see the underlying brickwork of the irregularly shaped wall and in Wee’s work, we can see the burnt out mounds of the wood and attap houses.

Here, the use of different building materials in the two works could serve as a good indication of a building’s usage and reveal a lot about the social conditions of the day. For example, commercial buildings would have been built out of brick and that wood and attap might have been a popular choice for the construction of houses for people in the urban periphery. Also, a rich man might consider brick for constructing his house, but on the other hand, a poorer man might opt for wood and attap instead.

5. Persistence of Memory

Collective memory [10], a termed coined by Maurice Halbwachs, has the ability to root people, form identity and build a nation. It is therefore important to understand how Singapore has fared thus far in preserving the nation’s collective memory.

Interestingly, when compared against each other, Cheong’s and Wee’s works speak differently to the viewer, although they could be seen as social commentaries on the transition of an era, frozen at that particular time. Wee’s After the Fire for example speaks to the viewer as if it comes from a distant past. On the other hand, Cheong’s St Andrew’s Cathedral, although completed much earlier, does not seem too distant. The reason for this could primarily be due to the fact that while the church is still standing today, the kampong in Wee’s work has long since disappeared. Today, most public housing takes the place of what used to be kampongs. The church on the other hand has been preserved and gazetted a national monument, thus ensuring its posterity.

5.1. What Makes a National Monument

St Andrew’s Cathedral was gazetted a national monument on 6th July 1973.

A mid-1990s survey [11] of public attitudes towards national monuments threw up some interesting findings.

In the survey, national monuments were easily recognizable among Singaporeans. Respondents shown a series of photographs had little difficulty in differentiating gazetted monuments from other buildings such as the Mariott Hotel which possess monumental qualities such as clear form and a high degree of imageability. Most were able to identify St Andrew’s Cathedral as a national monument but only a minority was able to correctly name the building or was aware of the history behind it. In the 1970s, religious buildings constituted the bulk of the first wave of buildings gazetted as national monuments. In the survey, these buildings were perceived to be of parochial rather than national interest. The bulk of respondents felt that buildings such as the Supreme Court, despite colonial origins, featured more appropriately as Singapore’s national monuments compared to religious buildings which were perceived to belong to specific communities only. In their opinion ‘historical value’ and ‘national symbolic significance’ should be the two main criteria for gazetting a building as a national monument.

Looking at Wee’s work, one wonders about the ‘historical value’ and ‘national symbolic significance’ of the kampongs which certainly are an integral part of Singapore’s history. Although they weren’t as architecturally significant as the church in Cheong’s work, they certainly had a place in the hearts of many [12]. Despite that, none were gazetted as national monuments or at least put under conservation status.

In sum, in a multi-cultural society such as Singapore, buildings deemed national monuments should clearly emphasize national significance and not just their functional or symbolic values from the perspectives of specific groups. Only then will national monuments begin to represent Singaporeans’ interlocking and collective histories, as testimonies to the forging of a nation.

5.2. Visual Markers

Judging from the orientation of the church’s façade and the configuration of the shophouses as depicted in Cheong’s work, it seems that the empty space is that area currently occupied by the Telephone House Complex [13]. Today, besides the 14-storey Telephone House Complex, many tall buildings dot the vicinity of church, where in the past; it would have been difficult to imagine that the church could be dwarfed by other buildings [14]. In fact, the church was the tallest building in the vicinity as portrayed in the work in 1955.

With the still existing church, it is not difficult to make out the location of the setting in Cheong’s work. On the other hand, it was more of a challenge to make out the location of the setting in Wee’s work due to the absence of visual markers. Many people like even Karen Lim [15] have mistaken the location to be that of Bukit Ho Swee due to the famous fire that occurred in 1961 [16].

Reflective of the urban periphery where there is a lack of visual markers and that most of its characteristics have been lost due to redevelopment like through hill leveling, swamp filling and intense urbanization, it is not surprising that we could make identification mistakes. Today, it is difficult to have a good idea of how these places used to look like. Gone are the pig farms of Hougang and Ponggol, the hills of Bedok, the swamps of Jurong and the cemeteries of Bishan.

5.3. Visual Historical Narrative

Old buildings can help to form a visual historical narrative of a location.

In the civic district, due to the high cost of land and space constraints, intense redevelopment has taken place and the few old buildings left can barely give us an adequate narrative of the past. This is worsen by the fact that past trades and activities have since evolved or disappeared, and the authorities adopt a pragmatic approach in determining what is important to preserve and what is not. The visual historical narrative thus formed is at most very general and someone who might be interested in knowing how the old fabric of the civic district was like would have to gather information from books, photographs and interviews.

For example, many people would not have known that High Street used to be the main shopping street in Singapore before Orchard Road overtook it [17], or that the civic district used to be populated with school children in the day as there were more than 10 schools [18] in the vicinity. And the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s decision that the old National Library building “was not of great architectural merit and should not be conserved” [19] was a good example of pragmatism over sensitivity [20].

In the urban periphery on the other hand, the situation is direr because of its mainly residential and agricultural character. The urban periphery in general, is seen as not as important as the civic district, thus what is left from the past has either been neglected or destroyed.

For example, it is hard to imagine that Tiong Bahru was once a kampong that coexisted beside a cemetery. The highrise apartments and shopping centre in the vicinity is a far cry from the past where today, the only two vestiges of the cemetery is the cemetery temple, Wei Shan Miao and the word ‘Tiong’ which means ‘cemetery’ in Hokkien.

On a brighter note, having realized that much of the visual historical narrative of not only the civic district but especially of the urban periphery have been lost, the authorities have of late started to take special interest in locations like Tiong Bahru by making conservation plans. Other locations include East Coast and Alexandra Road [21]. Conservation plans for individual buildings have also been made. An example would be the Church of the Nativity BVM in the urban periphery of Hougang that was gazetted a national monument in 2005 [22].

Back to the works of the two artists, in retrospect, the empty space in Cheong’s work could be seen to foreshadow the impending fate of the shophouses near it and in general the civic district. On the other hand, the burnt out kampong in Wee’s work could be seen to foreshadow the fate of many other kampongs. Today, the sole surviving kampong on the Singapore mainland [23] is Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the other kampongs having been subjected to destructive fires or the wrecker’s ball throughout the years.

6. Conclusion: Continuity and Identity

The 1950s and 1960s, were Singapore’s formative years marked by conflicting optimism and anxiety. Conservation was obviously not on the minds of many. Despite that, the feelings of nationalism, idealism and anti-colonialism started to take root and that offered local architects considerable space to contribute to and express their aspirations for Singapore [24].

According to Chan Heng Chee, it was during the dawn of this new era, during this “dramatic somber period that survival was adopted as a one-word political slogan as well as a main theme underlying all analysis of problems and statements of policies and intent.” [25]

So as the authorities embarked on a rapid and large-scale destruction program in an effort to modernize the new but impoverished country, local architects on the other hand started to build in a vernacular architectural language that marked an important period in Singapore’s history.

Sadly today, these buildings from the post-independent period are being threatened with demolition or insensitive additions and alterations (A&A) as buildings from the colonial period were being threatened then. The National Theater, for example, was demolished in 1986 and the Singapore Conference Hall has been subjected to insensitive A&A recently.

To end off, we must understand a location’s history stretching across a longue durée rather than as simply colonial or national accounts. National rather then parochial interests should take precedence with the whole island viewed as a collective whole in the conservation process so that no locality is neglected. Only then will we be able to appreciate our identity as Singaporeans and give us a sense of belonging and rootedness.

[1] The exhibition ‘A Heroic Decade: Singapore Art 1955-1965’ was held at the Singapore Art Museum from July to September 2005
[2] Singapore Elections, Legislative Assembly General Elections 1955, http://www.singapore-elections.com/ge1955/ (14/04/2009)
[3] National Archives of Singapore (28/07/1960), PICAS, Fire in a Kampong at Potong Pasir – Three Victim in Tears
[4] Hansard 1803–2005, HC Deb 17 March 1959 Vol. 602 c21W, Kampong Tiong Bahru (Fire), http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1959/mar/17/singapore (14/04/2009)
[5] Loh Kah Seng (2008), Fires and the Social Politics of Nation-Building in Singapore: 6, Asia Research Centre
[6] Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), Forewod, The Work of the Singapore Improvement Trust 1927-1947
[7] Douglas, Mary (2002), Purity and Danger: An Analysis of the Concepts of Pollution and
Taboo, London: Routledge Classics
[8] Scott, James C (1998) Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition have Failed, New Haven: Yale University Press
[9] Rev A. Anthony, Personal Interview (01/04/2009)
[10] Halbwachs, Maurice (1980), The Collective Memory, New York, Harper & Row Colophon Books
[11] Yeoh, B.S.A. and Ho, L.Y. (1997), ‘Popular Cognition of National Monuments in Singapore’, Environment Monintoring and Assessment 44: 21-31
[12] Rev A. Anthony, Personal Interview (01/04/2009)
[13] Behind the irregularly shaped wall should lie Coleman Lane.
[14] Churches have traditionally been built taller than other structures in town, its spire a representation of one’s aspirations towards heaven.
[15] Karen Lim (2009), Constructed Landscapes: Singapore in Southeast Asia, Constructed Landscapes, NUS Museum
[16] Wee’s work was completed in 1960
[17] Dhoraisingam S.Samuel, streetdirectory.com, High Street Singapore – Singapore First Street to be Constructed, http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore/local_guide/49/high_street.php (02/04/2009)
[18] Schools included Raffles Institution, Raffles Girls School, CHIJ (Town), St. Nicholas Girls’ School, St. Joseph’s Institution, Catholic High School, St. Anthony’s Convent, St. Anthony’s Boys School, Tao Nan School and Anglo-Chinese Primary School
[19] M. Nirmala (14/03/1999), The Straits Times, National Library to Go
[20] Ho Weng Hin et el (16/03/1999), The Straits Times, Heed the People's Call, Conserve ‘Built’ Heritage
[21] Urban Redevelopment Authority, Conservation Matters, Listing of Conservation Areas & Maps, http://www.ura.gov.sg/conservation/mod2.htm (01/04/2009)
[22] Wikipedia, National Monuments of Singapore, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Monuments_of_Singapore (01/04/2009)
[23] Singapore Travelogue, Kampong Lorong Buangkok, http://www.singapore-travelogue.com/singapore_living_kampong_buangkok.php (01/04/2009)
[24] Lim, William (2005), Asian Ethical Urbanism: A Radical Postmodern Perspective, Singapore:World Scientific Publishing
[25] Chan Heng Chee, Singapore: The Politics of Survival 1965-67 (Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1971), 48

2010-02-17T22:14:00.007+08:00

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent..

Watch the video below to learn what Lent is..

"Remember, man, that thou art dust,
and unto dust thou shalt return."
"Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverum reverteris."

With ashes imposed on our foreheads,

we are reminded of our frailty and mortality,

and are called to humility and repentance..

God of mercy and compassion, look with pity upon me..

2010-02-16T17:51:00.004+08:00

The toilet in my cluster stinks!

People don't know how to aim..

They don't know how to lift toilet seats when they wanna pee..

They use toilet paper in the most erratic way..

They leave their toiletries everywhere..

And I am certain they are neither

Singaporeans nor Malaysians..

Btw the cleaners are freaking lazy..

Toilet 'washing' equals water splashing..

This is so not Singapore..

2010-02-15T18:00:00.012+08:00

The Gemmill Fountain has been reinstalled

at the National Museum!

Like their peers, three young sisters are learning about the history of Singapore in school. But unlike most pupils, they have helped to resurrect a piece of local history. It all started last April, when the sisters who are in primary school and their housewife mother went to see an exhibition of costumes at the National Museum. The mother had read about a fountain at the museum on the Internet and told the girls about it, resulting in a treasure hunt. The girls made a search around the museum but couldn't find the fountain. One of the girls then decided to e-mail the director of the museum to ask what had happened to it. Her e-mail eventually gave the museum the idea of reinstalling it.

The Gemmill Fountian is Singapore's oldest public drinking fountain, erected in 1864. The fountain was a gift donated by Singapore's first auctioneer and banker, John Gemmill, when he left Singapore for London in 1864. The restoration of the marble fountain took place from September to December last year. The project took 180 man hours to complete and spots a motion-activated spout today. I remember drinking from this fountian once when I frequented the museum at a time when it was still considered an uncool place to hangout. You had to press a button for the water to spurt out then. Times have changed and as with the motion-activated spout, the museum has become a place for pea-pal to be seen chi-chi-la-ing about.

2010-02-14T01:53:00.009+08:00

Here's wishing one and all a

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR and a

MEANINGFUL VALENTINE'S DAY!

Mine will be a very simple affair this year.. Gonna visit 2 houses and that's it..

Have got my dissertation due on the 26th.. Which is very soon!

2010-02-13T03:09:00.009+08:00

Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise..

This song just reminds me of the Science Centre.. I probably first heard this song there..

2010-02-09T23:50:00.005+08:00

Happy, Happy Birthday, Jevon..

A big THANK YOU to: Jonathan who accompanied me through a very quiet night into my 26th year; family and friends for their presents and well wishes; parents, sis and Roman for the wonderful birthday dinner; and Kelvin for the after dinner drinks that gave a sweet end to today.. It was certainly a very meaningful birthday for me..

2010-02-07T23:26:00.006+08:00

What a Sunday..

Which started with serving the 10am Mass at the Cathedral

despite suffering from a lack of sleep due to Zach and Sebas's party..

Breakfast and a walk down Race Course Road armed with my camera..

Then to the Esplanade for Jonathan's concert..
He had a solo part for one of the pieces..

Met Roman and headed to Our Lady of Lourdes
to do some video recording for our SEAM project..

He hadn't had any food the whole day and was craving for rendang.. So we decided to head to Arab Street for some -to be drawn to the Sultan Mosque by the muezzin's call to prayer..

2010-02-06T05:36:00.000+08:00

Jevon is afraid of this coming Tuesday!

2010-02-03T22:53:00.011+08:00

In-Fusion Night 2010 @ PGP, NUS..

. Tribal inspired dance by the Filipino Society..

The dance was very well received judging from the applause..

Could have been the moves or maybe the skin =)

The dancers in their self-made costumes..

Moomoo da dodo bird.. So CUTE! *PINCHES CHEEKS*

In my short sleeve barong tagalog which Roman thinks make me look like a Filipino chauffeur.. Well I wouldn't have mind wearing the costume and paint he was wearing to support them, but I thought the barong tagalog was good enough already..

Roman da choreographer..

2010-02-02T00:27:00.009+08:00

Just got home from Puccini's La bohème

performed by the Singapore Lyric Opera at the Esplanade..

It wasn't a sterling performance though I will not say that it was totally bad either..

Nancy Yuen was really good in her role as Mimi as was Kee Chang.. The orchestra on the other hand wasn't too sympathetic to the singers; it ate up their voices on a few occasions.. The other grouse was that the acting and overall direction left much to be desired.. I couldn't feel the romance that Puccini had intended for La bohème..
.

For this production of La bohème, Sinclair had decided to set it in the 1930's.. Set wise, it was fine except for the bed they used.. It was so distracting because a nagging voice in my head kept telling me that they got it from Ikea! The sheets must have been from Ikea too.. These Ikea furniture do not belong to the 1930s.. Never underestimate your audience.. Also, the set and lighting could have been used better to depict the changing seasons.. Although the shorts worn by the character Schaunard reminded me that summer had come, the costumes still left much to be desired especially that of the main characters since they are always the most scrutinised of the lot..

The bed from Ikea.. You cannot bluff..
.

Jonathan is good company especially for heavy stuff like opera.. By the way he majors in a Chinese instrument called the ruan.. He insisted that I use this picture with my face cut off because he thinks he looks better in this picture than in the others we took.. Wish granted =)

2010-01-30T18:56:00.008+08:00

Navan's carrying the kavadi for the second time in his life..

We were invited by him to accompany him on his journey of faith..

Thaipusam 2010..

This festival celebrates the birthday of Murugan..

On this occasion, Hindus show the sincerity of their faith..

It is a time where devotees pray for divine help and make vows,

fulfilling them when their prayers are answered..

The type of kavadi Navan was carrying is called the vel kavadi..

It's essentially a portable altar about two meters tall, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to him through 108 vels pierced into the skin on the chest and back..

He was also pierced through his cheeks and tongue.. Ouch!

Others carried pots of milk on their heads.. I love the yellow..

It was very much a family affair..

See the little feet peeking out of the bundle?

The journey starts from the Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Little India

and proceeds to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road..

Navan in a trance..

Can you spot the Chinese girl on the right? That's Huimin barefooted..

At 3am this morning with Roman and Huimin!

Where were you AH SU?

2010-01-29T18:09:00.003+08:00

For every major ethnic festival, you will catch UNCLE in a whacky costume..

It's a giant mandarin orange on his head for CNY this time round!

If I remember correctly, it was a giant ingot previously..

Where does he get all these whacky costumes from?

2010-01-27T02:29:00.009+08:00

Finally.. I have found the song I have been searching for..

Couldn't remember the title but only the tune.. But thanks to Youtube I found it!

SELF CONTROL (1984) by Laura Branigan (Jul 3, 1957 - Aug 26, 2004)

O how retro the song.. When we were still using cassette tapes then.. Those were the days..

2010-01-25T10:29:00.002+08:00

It's my last term in NUS..

Currently working on my dissertation with no time for myself..

Here's a retro song.. It takes the stress off me..

Maria Magdalena by Sandra..

2010-01-21T22:45:00.004+08:00

Forever Young, I wanna be forever young..

It's been a very long time since I've heard this song and it reminds me of my childhood..

2009-12-14T01:26:00.006+08:00

There are great deals in Little India..

2009-12-13T13:59:00.002+08:00

trevlig LUCIA DAG allihopa!

2009-12-02T14:40:00.005+08:00

Remember Rialto?

Here's their 1997 single and debut,

Monday Morning 5:19

with subtitles..

2009-12-02T01:49:00.005+08:00

Rosenblad, rosenblad by Swedish singer Nina Ramsby..

To make learning more fun, this song was introduced to my Swedish language class at KTH by my teacher who likes this singer very much.. Do enjoy the song! =)

2009-11-28T17:02:00.021+08:00

Will you say that

these cars look awesome

just because their paint job designs

were the work of agnès b.?

The first of the two designs see the Peugeot 107 take on a gold polka dotted paint job on its existing red base, a 1950s throwback that makes this car look like a giant hongbao..

The second design dresses the car in purple stripes on its existing silver base, which is a tribute to the striped tee that is one of agnès b.’s brand signatures.. I don't know why but this car reminds me of Deepavali and I think that it's as ugly as the first one..

In any case if you do like them, the two limited edition models are available for sale and are priced at SGD$60,900 including COE.. They are currently on display till the end of December at Raffles City where you can vote for your favourite design and stand to win shopping vouchers.. As for me, I won't vote for either, much less consider buying one..

2009-11-21T15:19:00.003+08:00

Now I know how much I'm worth..

This fun quiz attempts to place a value on your life using a variety of criteria in 4 basic facets of life.. Among the criteria used include athletic ability, education level, income, amount of exercise, weight, and sense of humor..

2009-11-20T23:35:00.003+08:00

The reason why it is getting harder to score an A..

Lo and behold.. I was greeted by this scene at the Central Forum this morning..

Muggers literally CAMPING in school!

Sleeping bags, bath towels, a tin of biscuits and a jaga on shift..

2009-11-17T16:48:00.024+08:00

Warning: Not Suitable for Minors..
All names and e-mail addresses have been removed to protect the privacy

of the sender and recipients of this e-mail.. Click on the screenshot to enlarge the image..

I was one of many who received this rather disturbing e-mail from a classmate of mine today..
What was he thinking? This is plain suicide..

2009-11-16T21:12:00.009+08:00

Watching a documentary on Kampong Buangkok made me ponder:

"Are we birds in golden cages? Happy to own our own houses.. Happy to own our own cars.. But how about our own lives? We anticipate for LUPs, MUPs, en bloc sales and progress packages.. We pray for transport hubs, retail hubs, entertainment hubs, education hubs and a host of other hubs to be opened near but not too near our doorsteps.. And we are happy.. Very happy.. Still, locked inside our golden cages, we remain in the same cage for each step we take and every turn we make.. Maybe, perhaps someday in the future, we will be moved to another golden cage.. This time bigger.. And we will remain happy.. Very happy.."

2009-11-15T14:00:00.021+08:00

A piece of Singapore conserved in Victoria, Australia..
Prefabricated (Singapore) Cottage..
.

This recently conserved building by RBA Architects & Conservation Consultants and JAM Architects won the John George Knight Award for Heritage at the 2009 Victoria Architectural Awards.. It is typical of the prefabricated buildings that were imported to Victoria from Singapore and other countries in the 19th century to satisfy the great demand for housing and other buildings, especially during the Gold Rush period..

In existence by 1854, this building has four rooms with a central corridor of 6 x 9 metres and a skillion extension to the rear divided into two rooms.. No original windows, window openings or doors remain.. There are, however, scattered sections of early internal cladding and wallpapers, some of which may be original..

Its construction is distinctive, with the use of timbers from the Malay Peninsula such as dedaru and meranti, framing and jointing design based on traditional Malay building techniques, and a variety of Chinese and other characters painted or marked on the timber members; these markings provided an assembly guide to erecting the building..

The conservation works included raising the building so that the floor level is above the footpath level, removing the modern render from the external wall surfaces, replacing or repairing rotted timbers and reinstating missing timber framing members..

The Australians have conserved an integral part of their built heritage that is in fact a kampong house from Singapore.. To top it off, buildings as plain and simple as this have found their way into the Victorian Heritage Register that lists Victoria's most significant heritage places and objects.. How about us?

It is time that we make a more serious commitment towards the conservation of our built heritage that is at once inclusive and holistic.. Although lacking in any monumental quality, kampong houses are an integral part of Singapore's built heritage.. Kampong houses and the kampongs where they can be found in are rich in our nation's social history.. Therefore, isn't it time for places like Kampong Buangkok and Pulau Ubin - the last living reminders of our rural past - to be conserved for posterity?

2009-11-14T17:41:00.009+08:00

Pictures from a very short and

last minute getaway to Batam

with Roman and my parents in July..

Booked our accomodation and tickets just an hour before the ferry was scheduled to depart..

Woke Roman up from his sleep just before that to ask if he was interested to tag along..

It was so last minute! We had to rush like crazy to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal..
.

Mummy inspecting the living room of the villa we booked..

.
Roman and I..
.
Our beds came with mosquitoe nets although there weren't any mosquitoes around..
The nets must have been thrown in just to enhance the resort feel of the place..

View from our bedroom..
.
View from our balcony.. The view was fantastic!

Mummy and daddy.. So sweet..
.

Got Roman to take this shot of me..

Was more of posing here than enjoying the view actually.. Haha..

A very rare shot of Roman because he rarely swims.. What a shame right? We went swimming at the pool instead of the beach because it was not exactly clean.. The beaches at Bintan are way better..

2009-11-13T23:22:00.008+08:00

National monuments embody historical value: as enduring landmarks of the city which link the present to the past, they give lithic memory to the life of a nation and are integral to the process of building national solidarity, identity and pride. But to serve their purpose as the country's psyche and memory, deeper knowledge of the history and meaning behind these monuments must be inculcated in the Singaporean consciousness.

6 MORE BUILDINGS GAZETTED!
Bringing the total number of national monuments to 61.

What does it mean to you?

The following buildings (clockwise from top left):

(1) Former Raffles College

(2) Former Command House

(3) Former St James Power Station

(4) Church of St Teresa

(5) Keng Teck Whay and

(6) Bowyer Block at the Singapore General Hospital
.

were selected for their social-historical significance, architectural merit and importance to the community.

2009-11-12T20:56:00.002+08:00

Are You a Worshipper of the Golden Calf?

It's something you should take some time to consider.. Myself included..

2009-11-07T15:12:00.002+08:00

Bogoroditse Devo by Rachmaninov..

One very beautiful and stirring hymn to the Theotokos by one of my favorite composers..

Bogoroditse Devo, raduisya,

Blagodatnaya Mariye, Gospod s Toboyu.

Blagoslovenna Ty v zhenakh,

i blagosloven plod chreva Tvoyego,

yako Spasa rodila esi dush nashikh.

2009-11-04T23:33:00.001+08:00

RST4 Uniform Day!

To do something fun as a complete cohort, we decided to put on uniforms from our previous schools to attend the last lecture of our classmates who will be graduating this semester.

This was Mousey's grand idea.. Some came in their secondary school uniforms, others like me came in their JC uniforms and Joyce came in her primary school uniform!

. I went home the previous night to search for a uniform.. Rummaging through boxes after boxes of old school uniforms, and finally taking my old JC uniforms out of their plastic wrappers to find that not a single one can fit me anymore, I realised that it's been so long since I've left St. Andrew's.. And in a few months time, it will be my turn to say goodbye to school life.. Nostalgia hit me.. In any case, I found my council badge and had bought the tie recently.. So all I had to do was to go down to Finest the next morning to buy a new set of my JC uniform..

See the enthusiasm I had for RST4 Uniform Day?

Up and On!

Thomas' no Saint tho.. Tho his name's Thomas..

Do you still remember how to recite the Pledge?

It was photo taking fun all the way and the jumping caught on with everyone!

2009-11-01T13:34:00.009+08:00

Electronic - Disco - Punk..

Nominated for Zouk's best Halloween get-up..
8 party boys stole the show with their disco ball helmets..

DAFT PUNK meets NU RAVE..

Painstakingly making our disco ball helmets @ Benalan's..

From Zouk.. Played our way to Butter.. And back to Zouk..

See the blue lights? We installed sound-activated

electro-luminescent EQ meters to our visors..

Couldn't really see what was in front of us though..

Halloween at Zouk was the most fun especially because of all the

candid and friendly people who bothered to dress for the night..

.Meet Roman from the Arabian Nights!

2009-10-23T23:11:00.007+08:00

Here is

Sherlynn and myself

in the traditional wedding ensemble of the Minangkabau for

INDONESIA INDAH!

The headdress she is wearing - called a suntiang - weighs 3.5 kg!

2009-10-23T00:39:00.010+08:00

O Father, thank you for giving me

this opportunity to intern at the URA..

Now a step closer to my aim, please be my guide..

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my whole armor, be thou my true might;
be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:
be thou mine inheritance now and always;
be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

2009-10-15T11:52:00.012+08:00

This aria: Je Crois Entendre Encore -
from Bizet's Les Pecheurs de Perles - never fails to enchant me..

Je crois entendre encore

I believe I hear again
Caché sous les palmiers

Hidden beneath the palm trees

Sa voix tendre et sonore

Her tender and resonant voice

Comme un chant de ramiers.

Like the song of a dove.

Oh nuit enchanteresse

Oh enchanting night

Divin ravissement

Divine rapture

Oh souvenir charmant,

Oh lovely memory,

Folle ivresse, doux rêve!

Mad intoxication, sweet dream!

Aux clartés des étoiles

In the clear starlight

Je crois encor la voir
I believe I see her again

Entr'ouvrir ses longs voiles
Between the openings of her long veil

Aux vents tièdes du soir.

In the warm evening breeze.

Oh nuit enchanteresse
Oh night enchantress
Divin ravissement
Divine rapture
Oh souvenir charmant,
Oh lovely memory,
Folle ivresse, doux rêve!
Mad intoxication, sweet dream!
.

Charmant Souvenir!

Lovely Memory!

Charmant Souvenir!

Lovely Memory!

2009-10-10T21:38:00.005+08:00

The topic was Deskripsi Orang. 80 words at least.

Decided to write funny for my second Bahasa Indonesia essay and got a Bagus Sekali for it!

Nenek Saya

Nenek saya tinggal di rumah saya. Dia sedang menonton televisi sedangkan saya lagi menulis
karangan ini. Dia pandai sekali, karena dia bisa berbahasa Inggris, Cina, Kanton, Perancis dan
Portugal. Dia berkata ke saya: “Kalau kamu tidak pandai seperti saya, kamu bukan cucu saya!”
Nenek saya pendek dan kurus, rambutnya pendek dan lurus. Dia sudah tua. Umurnya delapan
puluh enam tahun tetapi dia masih bisa berjalan cepat. Setiap pagi, dia pergi berlatih Taichi di
Kebun Botani Singapura dan setiap sore, dia pergi berdoa di gereja Katolik di dekat rumah saya. Nenek saya suka makan nasi ayam, tetapi dia tidak bisa makan ayam sekarang, karena giginya tinggal dua. Saya cinta nenek saya.

2009-10-06T21:09:00.005+08:00

I had a most interesting

Advanced Planning Theories and Techniques

chat room session today..

* Connection successful
You are connected as LIEW BOON XIANG JEVON
.
.
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Ng Siau Yong: Although, we see more and more incrementalism is adopted to solve local problems.
NG YEW CHOONG: minorities should be treated as humans like in Malaysia
LIEW BOON XIANG JEVON: like how they increasingly set up erp gentries one by one
FOO SUAN KIAT: haha..
DENG WEIYI: haha dun get emotional...
Ng Siau Yong: Okie, we will not talk about the problems of minorities here, the question is the approach the government or the planners take...
NG YEW CHOONG: Malaysian minorities are much better off because the minorities there fight for their survivors
Ng Siau Yong: This is a planning lecture, let's come back to the methods and theories.
BAVANI D/O SURYA VARNAN: excuse me yew choong pls come back to topic
NG YEW CHOONG: planning in singapore is a failure in terms of handling density issue
LEE JIA RONG DAWN: yew choong can u stop it
TAN POH NOI CINDY: care to explain?
DENG WEIYI: lol
JEREMY ISSAC: failure??
Ng Siau Yong: All right, this is 9.00pm now, looks like we have come to the end of the day, I think I should take attendance...
BAVANI D/O SURYA VARNAN: thnk u dawn
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.
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LIEW BOON XIANG JEVON: maybe yew choong can explain
Ng Siau Yong: Hmm.. in this chat room, I cannot kick people out huh? even though I am the moderator...
MOHAMED IBRAHIM FOO BIN ABDULLAH: I would like to hear from yew chong too
LEE HAO WEI HOWEI: haha sir, who are u kicking?
DENG WEIYI: this is funny
NEO SZE KEAT: haha...
BRYAN LIM JIT-RONG: its quite obvious
FOO SUAN KIAT: haha, tis is interesting...
MOHAMED IBRAHIM FOO BIN ABDULLAH: who do you think...hahaha
Ng Siau Yong: Class members who have gobe out of topic... I am afraid...
LIEW BOON XIANG JEVON: o-m-g =)
Ng Siau Yong: maybe those who want to talk about other issues can go to another chat room like iRC...
BAVANI D/O SURYA VARNAN: i certainly agree wif u sir
FOO SUAN KIAT: yup tats true
.
.
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Ng Siau Yong: ok, I am going to take attendance now , ya... when I type your name, please answer, to make sure that you are now log on but away watching TV haha.
MOHAMED IBRAHIM FOO BIN ABDULLAH: should singapore be better off with hinterland
Ng Siau Yong: Bavani?
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.
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BAVANI D/O SURYA VARNAN: yup i m here
DENG WEIYI: Sir do you agree with Prof zhu we shld rejoin malaysia?
LEE JIA RONG DAWN: o.0
KOH ENG MENG: can we pause for a while?
TAN POH NOI CINDY: ......
MOHAMMED YUSOF BIN ABDUL LATIF: yup
Ng Siau Yong: The lecture session is done hor everyone, I am taking attenance now. once I call your name and you answer, you can leave the room, or stay if you wish.
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Ng Siau Yong: Jevon?
LIEW BOON XIANG JEVON: aye aye
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Ng Siau Yong: Yew Choong?
NG YEW CHOONG: Yes, here
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Ng Siau Yong: OK one person missing, haha...maybe he/she went toilet???
Ng Siau Yong: All right, interesting discussion, you can leave the chat room now. or you can stay to keep discussing. But please do not bring in issues outside the scope of Urban planning...thank you very much every one, see you next wednesday, I will try to post the chat log in IVLE later. BYe
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DENG WEIYI: bye yew choong
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NG YEW CHOONG left the room on 10-6-2009 21:11:18 hrs

2009-08-10T03:21:00.003+08:00

Celebrating Singapore's birthday at the Bird Park

with the Pinoys in red and white!

My sister came along too..

.
These Pinoys can get quite crazy at times..

That crazy girl wearing some basket from the exhibit on her head; thats Muriel..

And here's a happy Roman..

Finally got up close with a bird..
.

After such a long time, it's great to be back at the Bird Park..

2009-07-31T01:07:00.008+08:00

HANGOVER WAS AWESOME!
.

This movie reminded me of Riga.. With Clive and the guys doing stupid things..

There are more photos actually.. Not for public viewing though..

2009-07-17T09:52:00.005+08:00

Blogging from Hong Kong.. Uncle Jin's cosy place at Causeway Bay..

The entrance..

He slept on the couch last night..

The living room..

My room..

The tiny toilet..

And finally.. Even tinier.. The kitchenette..

2009-07-02T11:06:00.012+08:00

In aid of the Cathedral Restoration Fund

Les Petits Chanteurs de Monaco

(The Little Singers of Monaco)

Friday, 10th July 2009 at 7.30pm

at the

Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
‘A’ Queen Street, Singapore 188533

Free admission, limited seating. Make a pre-donation to secure seating.

Donation cheques can be made out to “Cathedral of the Good Shepherd” and sent to the above address with your name, contact number and number of persons attending.

For more information, please call 96370051.

Come and spend an evening enthralled by the mellifluous voices of The Little Singers of Monaco. These boys will be rendering a wide repertoire of music that stretches from the ancient to the modern and includes the sacred and the profane. Listen out for works by Bach, Mozart and even Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Based at the Monaco Cathedral, the 31 strong boys’ choir led by Mr Pierre Debat is internationally celebrated for their musical sensitivity and rich tradition carried from the reign of Prince Antoine I in the early eighteenth century, when an ensemble of children's voices sang the liturgies in the Palatine Chapel.

Since its foundation in 1974, the Choir has been supported by the Royal Family and Government of Monaco. Under the royal patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, the Choir performs at concerts throughout the world, promoting Monegasque culture and tradition.

Some of the countries the Choir has performed in include Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, UK, USA and Vatican City.

The Choir also participates in performances of the Monte Carlo Opera, and sings regularly with the Monte Carlo Philharmonic, working with world-renowned musicians.

As part of its social mission, the Choir has performed at numerous charity concerts for hospitals, orphanages and schools throughout the world. As part of its 6th Asian tour, the Choir will be performing in Singapore at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in aid of the Cathedral Restoration Fund.

2009-06-13T16:47:00.003+08:00

Farewell Martin and Liv!

Took them out the last time before they head back to Sweden on early Monday morning..

It was Meiyen's idea to have a picnic.. Here at the Icon..
.

And the jacuzzi with a view.. They loved it..

And the wine.. Moscato d'Asti.. They loved it..
.
And Henderson Waves.. Was here just last night!
. See.. Less then 24 hours ago..

2009-06-09T23:57:00.000+08:00

What a day!

Qian Hu again.. This time with Roman..

And the fishes loved our feet so much they could swallow our toes..

Finally got my hands on Singapore 60s - The Definitive Collection!
From Borders.. One for myself and one for Father Val..

Then to Father Val's farewell party at Pam's house..

HL Milk made their recent commercial here!

It was so crowded at the basement that I decided to head upstairs.. Immediate calmness..

2009-06-06T02:46:00.003+08:00

Happy Birthday.. Cathedral of the Good Shepherd..

You turn 162 years old today!

Then..

Now..

2009-06-04T23:54:00.000+08:00

My FIRST time leh! Taking the Sentosa Express..

Had to take.. Felt so handicapped..

See the dish at the bottom left of the picture?
Its homemade apple crumble.. Roman had a hand in it!

Feeling so lazy, we stayed till we could see the sun no more..

2009-05-30T00:59:00.001+08:00

HAPPY 19TH BIRTHDAY CHARMAINE LIEW!

My dad, mum and myself got home just before midnight,

to give my baby sister a little birthday surprise..

At the stroke of midnight, we called her out of her room..

And surprised her with a super delicious chocolate cake from Ah Teng's Bakery,

a super retro watch from Mustafa Centre, a big ang pao and a card..

At my cousin's wedding dinner with my dad and mum before that..

2009-05-27T23:28:00.005+08:00

SO RETRO!

Was having hay mee with Roman this morning when I notice this very interesting architectual feature of the new Tiong Bahru Market where I was at..

The two staircases in the internal courtyard..

They had been modeled after the designs found in the nearby SIT flats!

2009-05-27T20:20:00.005+08:00

Visited Agueda at her office this afternoon before she leaves for Spain later tonight..
.

We at the Cathedral will definitely miss you!

2009-05-09T22:10:00.017+08:00

Till Pulau Ubin med Craig, Martin och Liv!

In Singapore, when something purportedly brings good fortune, people flock to worship it..

On Pulau Ubin, we have the German Girl Shrine.. A Chinese shrine to an Ang Mo!

I like this..

Made a wish at this well..
.

A double storied Chinese house..
. A Malay house.. Malay houses are raised on stilts..

A Tudor-style cottage..

In the midst of nature, you see planes flying low..
And you know that you are not too far from civilization..

My first time to Chek Jawa..
.
It's a really beatiful place and was one of the highlights of the day for Martin and Liv..
.
Can you spot those cute little crabs?

A disused granite quarry..

Liv's a really good cyclist! Cycling upslope? Chicken feat..

There was going to be a Chinese wayang later in the evening but we decided not to stay for it..

In celebration of Tua Pek Kong's birthday..

The main street decorated for the occasion..

Heading home to get a good rest..

Somehow, this picture reminds me of Singapore being about routes, not roots: an intersection point of the trajectories of a thousand journeys.. Singapore is the sum of a hundred diaspora: at night, it seems everyone is dreaming about somewhere else..

2009-05-01T23:00:00.005+08:00

MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

One day before the EGM, the atmosphere at the AWARE office was tense..

The new exco went through their strategy in a private room with their lawyers, supporters, members and the mastermind..

2009-04-26T01:13:00.011+08:00

You know you were born in the 1980s when..

1. You grew up watching He-Man, Transformers, Ultraman, Captain Planet, Ninja Turtles, Scooby-Doo, Tom & Jerry, Care Bears, My Little Pony and Smurfs. Not forgetting Aksi Mat Yoyo.

2. You grew up brushing your teeth in primary school during recess time. You would squat by a drain with all your classmates beside you, and brush your teeth with a colored mug.

3. You know what SBC stands for.

4. In primary school, you could subscribe to get packet milk. Some days you would get chocolate milk, other days strawberry.

5. The Chinese horror serial, 迷离夜 was shown on TV.

6. Your wallet used to be of the velcro type.

7. It was cool to have pagers in primary school. Your dad's handphone was as large as your waterbottle.

8. In secondary school, it was cool to carry Outdoor bags, the smaller the better.

9. SBS buses used to be non-airconditioned. The bus seats were made of wood and the cushion was red. The big red bell gave a loud BEEEP when pressed.

10. Envelopes were given to us to donate to Sharity Elephant every Children's Day.

11. You've probably read Young Generation magazine. You know who's Vinny the little vampire and Acai the constable.

12. You've also probably subscribed to the Bookworm Club. You know who's Pocky, Sam Seng and Simone.

13. You hated penmanship. Writing lines and caning hands were common.

14. You were around when they first introduced the MRT (Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh). You went for the first ride with your parents and you would kneel on the seat to admire the scenery.

15. You bought tidbits like Mamee that came with a different sticker everytime or Ding Dang that came with a different toy each week.

16. You carried a lunch box to school but either threw away the food or brought it back home again.

17. You watched TV2 (also known as Channel 10) cartoons because Channel 5 never had enough cartoons for you.

18. Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, Famous Five and Secret Seven were probably the thickest story books you thought you would ever read.

19. KFC used to be a high class restaurant that served food on plates and used metal cutlery.

20. The few vulgar words that would come from you was asshole and idiot. The most extreme was 'CHICKEN PIE' because you just couldn't bring yourself to say the Hokkien translation.

21. Catching, pepsi-cola and zero-point was the 'in' thing, and 'twist' was the magic word.

22. Your primary school English workbooks were made of some poor quality paper that was smooth and yellow.

23. Some part of your school was always haunted, like a certain toilet or classroom. You would walk fast to avoid them.

24. CDIS was your best friend.

25. You printed with noisy dot matrix printers and used computer paper with two rows of holes at the sides.

26. Waterbottles were slung around your neck and a must everywhere you went.

27. Boys loved to play soccer with tennis balls in the basketball court.

28. Science was fun with the Balsam and the Angsana being the most important plants of our lives, guppies and swordtails being the most important fishes.

29. Who can forget Ahmad, Bala, Gopal, Sumei, Peihua and John, immortalized in our minds from school textbooks. Not forgetting Mr Wolly and Mr Yakki.

30. We conducted experiments of our own to get badges for being a Young Zoologist/Botanist etc.

31. Every Children's day and National day you either got pins or pens with 'Happy Children's Day 1993' or useless plastic files with 'Happy National Day 1994'.

32. There was ACES day where you would get a stupid hat and do the Great Singapore Workout.

33. You wore BM2000, Bata or Pallas shoes.

34. Your form teacher taught you Maths, Science and English.

35. You went to school in slippers and a raincoat when it rained, and you would find a dry spot in the school to sit and wipe yourself dry. Then you wear your dry and warm socks and shoes.

36. There would be spelling, dictation and mental sums to do almost everyday. You hated them.

37. Worksheets were made of rough brown paper of poor quality.

38. At the first art and craft class each year, you had to make a new art folio using a vanguard sheet.

39. Your friends considered you lucky and rich if your parents gave you $2 or more for pocket money everyday.

40. You saw Wee Kim Wee's face in the school hall.

41. Boys liked catching army ants, fighting spiders, earthworms or tadpoles. Collecting and battling erasers was a favourite pastime.

42. Class monitors and prefects loved to say, "You talk somemore, I write your name ah!"

43. There were at least 40 people in one class.

44. You brought every single book to school, even though there was a timetable, written on the inside cover of your little blue notebook.

45. Fanciful pencil cases with pencil sharpener, magnifying glass, thermometer, lots of small tiny drawers or trays that pop out at the push of a button were the 'in' thing in primary school.

46. Autograph books were loaded with "Best Wishes", "Forget Me Not", "Friends Forever" and little poems like "Birds fly high, hard to catch. Friends like you, hard to forget".

47. Everyone in class would tremble in fear when someone with a gauze stuck in the mouth came to your class and called out a name to go visit the school dentist.

48. You remember saying this in primary school, "Copycat, kiss the rat. Go home let your mother slap."

49. Boys played a card game that compared aeroplanes, warships and tanks - who had more firepower, speed or weight etc. There were other similar card games.

50. Your favorite actor and actress were Li Nanxing and Zoe Tay. You loved Aiyoyo (Chen Liping) and Fandi Ahmad was your hero.

Don't these memories bring a tear to your eye?

I was once a kid.. You were once a kid.. We were once kids..

2009-04-24T22:34:00.033+08:00

It's been a long while since I last studied at the NUS central library..

With Roman, Paul, Michael and Muriel today.. PINOY PRIDE!
.

And guess what I saw when I entered the library.. This..

And it was due to the appearance of Spidey 2 days back..

I wasn't there unfortunately but there is always Youtube..

NUS needs to loosen up a little.. Seriously..

2009-04-23T22:16:00.006+08:00

This 1969 Mercedes Benz 280S..

I want..

2009-04-10T23:57:00.004+08:00

Tenebrae (shadows)

was held at SJI International today..

Chanted in Latin by the schola cantorum..

The anticipated Matins & Lauds of the Divine Office for Holy Saturday was sung in this haunting service, which is basically a funeral service for Jesus.. One by one, the candles were extinguished in the chapel, leaving the congregation in total darkness, and in a silence that was punctuated by the strepitus (loud noise) meant to evoke the convulsion of nature at the death of Christ.. Paul, Roman, myself and everyone else left the chapel in silence after that..

2009-04-07T23:56:00.009+08:00

A Singapore Urban History and Architecture project.. Completed this in just under an hour when my original video screwed up last minute.. Still, it got selected to be screened anyway.. Praise the Lord.. Got the grades for it just today where it scored 82/100..

2009-04-05T23:39:00.005+08:00

Was at the Esplanade today for

The President's Command Performance..

The dress code was formal.. But I didn't know because Zach didn't know.. So we went there in smart casual.. And why Zach didn't know was because he got the invites from his friend only just before the event.. Anyway, we saw a few "birds of paradise" in the crowd.. And these were guys, not ladies.. Some of the ladies looked like dumplings in their gowns though.. One scrawny guy wore a trenchcoat! WTF.. By the way, the event had a strong nationalist overtone.. Well if you would have noticed, most of the 11 luminaries featured in the event had to make it big elsewhere before returning to Singapore a "national hero".. Some of them still live and work overseas! Ashley Isham for example has the word London incorporated into his logo.. Considering if the word Singapore was incorporated into his logo instead, I wonder what would be its appeal then.. In any case, it was nice to see Varian's dad (Jeremy Monteiro) amongst the 11 luminaries featured along with Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin.. JJ Lin gave a wonderful rendition of "Home".. Somehow, I really do feel proud being Singaporean.. After returning from overseas, you realise that no matter how tiny or insignificant Singapore may be on the world stage, it is still home.. This is the place where all things work.. Patriotic feelings aside, I was really happy to hear Margaret Leng Tan (Zach's mad woman) play on both the Steinway and toy piano! Abigail Sin did a fantastic job on the Steinway too.. Catch the telecast of the event on Channel 5 at 7.30pm on April 19!

2009-03-30T21:55:00.006+08:00

Unusual Way from the musical Nine..

Don't you love this beautiful rendition of Unusual Way by the UST Singers? These people from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines sing really well.. I'm inspired.. Now who wants to form a choir with me?

2009-03-26T21:58:00.011+08:00

After watching an episode of the 9pm serial on Channel 8 today,

I would recommend you to watch it becuase it teaches us important life lessons..

Like on how parents should never disagree or quarrell in front of their children and that people should realise how much loved ones suffer when third parties come in between relationships.. These amongst others make this series a good watch.. Watch it and give me your take..

2009-03-25T21:24:00.002+08:00

(1) Some people can't talk..

(2) Some people like to talk..

(3) Some people have to talk..

(4) Some people see no point in talking..

(5) And some don't know what they are talking about..

Which type of a person are you?

For if by the grace of Divine Providence

you do suddenly realise that you might be (5) at any one instance..

Please don't talk..

2009-03-22T00:19:00.006+08:00

It is LAETARE SUNDAY today..

Besides Gaudete Sunday, today is the only other day in the whole year where you will get a chance to see a priest vested in rosacea (rose-coloured) vestments!

2009-03-13T09:32:00.002+08:00

I was just thinking and thinking..

HOW CAN?

SERANGOON GARDENS for the foreign workers..

Johor Bahru for OUR ELDERLY..

HOW ABOUT..

SERANGOON GARDENS for OUR ELDERLY..

Johor Bahru for the foreign workers..

2009-03-12T20:44:00.004+08:00

Seriously, what's the big deal?

I would have done that myself!

Students in other universities do that.. Not only in the west but also in Asia.. Like in the Philippines.. There weren't any malicious intentions on their part.. Was it sexual harassment? Not at all.. Were they morally indecent? No.. It was all done in the name of fun and can be an interesting part of university life.. By the way.. The room I'm staying in now used to be occupied by one of those guys.. Maybe I shouldn't comment too much.. Since I wouldn't have gotten this room if not for their streaking..

2009-03-10T16:54:00.006+08:00

Got into Eusoff Hall today! I can finally start studying..

Happy to have found my room perfect! Nicely situated.. Near the bus stop yet away from the noise, and away from the trees where creepies cannot pay you a visit.. Clean unlike the ones in Sweden and RVR.. My corridor mates are nice too.. With Aron living just opposite me.. Coolness! Special thanks to Craig who got me a place here..

2009-03-03T20:42:00.004+08:00

China has just released a white paper entitled

"Fifty Years of Democratic Reform in Tibet"

FREE TIBET! Wait, where's Tibet?

2009-03-02T11:28:00.007+08:00

Another Marc Lavoine song.. Another one of my chansons préférées.. En duo avec Italian singer Cristina Marocco.. Released in 2001 as the 2nd single from Lavoine's 8th album entitled 'Marc Lavoine'.. It reached number 1 on the French Singles Chart, thus becoming to date the most successful single of the singer in France..

I wished j'ai tout oublié..

2009-03-01T03:29:00.005+08:00

Marc Lavoine in another one of my favourite songs..

This time with Quynh Anh in J'espère..

2009-02-28T02:51:00.010+08:00

Toi mon amour par Marc Lavoine..

C'est une des mes chansons préférées..
L'ensemble du clip vidéo a été tourné en un seul plan-séquence..
Génial!

2009-02-25T23:27:00.007+08:00

"Memento, homo, quia pulvis es,

et in pulverum reverteris."

"Remember, man, that thou art dust,

and unto dust thou shalt return."

It is Ash Wednesday today and at Mass, the priest imposed ashes on our foreheads.. With the imposition of ashes, we are reminded of our frailty and mortality, and are called to humility and repentance..

2009-02-23T23:57:00.006+08:00

To Kuching to visit my relatives..
20.02.09 - 23.02.09

. .

2009-02-14T02:06:00.004+08:00

Thought I should do some research on my family name -

back to the roots of the willow..

柳 (Liew)

Ranked 142 in the list of the top 200

most common Chinese family names in 1990

and is about 2600 years old..

During the Spring and Autumn Period (722BC to 481BC), Xiao Gong became the ruler of the State of Lu. He had a great-grandson called Zhan Qin who was an officer in charge of a prison built in a place where many willow trees grew. Zhan Qin was a very honest and well-behaved man. There is an idiomatic phrase to describe him -zuo huai bu luan, which means not succumbing to the temptations of the flesh. To accord him respect, people addressed him as Liu Xia (under the willow) which he adopted as his family name. After his death, his children shortened their family name to just Liu and left off the word Xia (under).

2009-02-09T13:50:00.004+08:00

lamenting a quarter of a century,

happy birthday jevon!

2009-01-26T23:52:00.002+08:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai

my place made-up for CNY..

The very first time we bought a kumquat tree..

And I did the flower arrangement..
The smell of lilies - damn nice..

Red embroidered wall hanging as a backdrop for the family altar..

Who can miss the goodies?

My place now with a very citrusy feel..

With the altar servers and the Archbishop at his house after CNY Mass in the morning..

Headed to my aunt's place in the afternoon..

Mummy on the left..

There, you cannot miss the kueh tarts in milk powder tins..

My cousin's maternal grandma makes them according to

my dad's late nanny's recipe.. Kristang style..
.

And you cannot miss my aunt's peppery pig stomach soup

with mushrooms and abalone.. A must on the first day of each CNY..
.

Charmaine, dad, aunt, mummy, myself and Jerome..

2009-01-09T12:10:00.006+08:00

“三月这个咖啡店要拆了”,

was what the wanton mee auntie told me of my favourite kopitiam today..

Our old school kopitiams are giving way to S11s, Kopitiams and Food Republics..

Give us back our kopitiams of old.. We are trading our heritage for sanitised copies!

Goodbye 新永南, your memory lives on in my heart..

2009-01-01T11:49:00.003+08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Watched the fireworks from the dancefloor at Laroy.. Damn nice..

2009-01-01T01:20:00.002+08:00

Norway, Oslo..
29.12.08 - 31.12.08

2008-12-26T05:28:00.010+08:00

Spending your Christmas Day..

Ice skating under the stars at Kungsträdgården!

It's really nice because it's outdoor and you get to ice skate

for free if you have your own pair of skates..

And attending Christmas Day Mass

at Saint Erik's Cathedral earlier on in the morning..

With Bishop Anders as celebrant

and the choir singing Mozart's Missa Brevis in B-flat..

Vilken fantastisk jul!

2008-12-25T12:11:00.005+08:00

GOD JUL OCH GOTT NYTT ÅR!

Spending my christmas away from family and friends in Singapore

and in the warm company of my corridor mates at Lappis..

Had glögg in the afternoon.. It is Nordic mulled wine served

heated with raisins and almonds.. And you drink it along with

other Christmas specialties like pepparkakor (ginger thins).. NICE!

Then it was Midnight Mass at S:ta Eugenia..

With Lauryne my corridor mate and her sister Cecilia who found her name on the hymnal..

2008-12-23T16:16:00.001+08:00

The Baltic States
Latvia - Estonia - Lithuania
18.12.08 - 22.12.08

2008-12-17T02:03:00.007+08:00

Listening to Japanese Graffiti IV makes me think of my band days..

Can you find me in this picture?

2008-12-15T06:18:00.004+08:00

DAMN FUNNY

from a MSN conversation between Jeremy and myself..

QíAnG® (",)™ says:
hey guess what i dreamt...
QíAnG® (",)™ says:
i dreamt of preseident coming to look for me... our president nathan... hahaa
jevon liew est d'opium du peuple.. says:
hahahha
jevon liew est d'opium du peuple.. says:
WTF
jevon liew est d'opium du peuple.. says:
and wad
jevon liew est d'opium du peuple.. says:
treat you to roti prata?
QíAnG® (",)™ says:
no... we go jogging in mc ritchie together
QíAnG® (",)™ says:
lol
jevon liew est d'opium du peuple.. says:
can i put this convo on my blog?
QíAnG® (",)™ says:
what convo
QíAnG® (",)™ says:
about what
jevon liew est d'opium du peuple.. says:
your mr nathan in jogging shoes and headband jioing you for a jog
QíAnG® (",)™ says:
noooo....

Sometimes, we dream of the most absurd things.. And our friends make it public.. Haha =)

2008-12-13T19:15:00.011+08:00

It's Saint Lucia Day today!

Sweden is an egalitarian place these days, so any child can be chosen as Lucia for the annual procession at the local daycare centre, not just pretty ones with long blonde hair.. The boys usually prefer to be brownies (tomtar) or "star boys" (stjärngossar) in the procession, while quite a few girls agree to be Lucia's handmaidens (tärnor).. The real candles once used are now battery-powered, but there is still a special atmosphere when the lights are dimmed and the sound of the children singing grows as they enter from an adjacent room.. Tradition has it that Lucia is to wear "light in her hair," which in practice means a crown of electric candles in a wreath on her head.. Each of her handmaidens carries a candle, too.. Parents gather in the dark with their new digital cameras at the ready..The star boys, who like the handmaidens are dressed in white gowns, carry stars on sticks and have tall paper cones on their heads.. The brownies bring up the rear, carrying small lanterns..

Went to Kungsträdgården to catch Sweden's official Saint Lucia

and her handmaidens sing Lucia songs..

Today, people eat a traditional kind of bun, Lussekatt, made with saffron..

2008-12-10T06:04:00.006+08:00

Pictures from ICELAND!

04.12.08 - 08.12.08

2008-12-03T05:54:00.007+08:00

Poland!
27.11.08 - 01.12.08

2008-11-26T23:07:00.013+08:00

Celebrated Jihane's birthday yesterday and
ended it with a round of snowfight and snow sliding!
.

Hiding in a corner..

Under the table and behind the curtains..

We gave Jihane a surprise..

CK made the rectangular chocolate cake..
Lauryne made the round one and I made the apple crumble..
Yummy!

Girls against guys.. Snow fight! The girls CLAIMED they won..

Helping Stephanie over the barricade.. It was damn funny..

Sliding in supine, in prone, frontwards and backwards.. It was damn fun!

2008-11-26T06:38:00.008+08:00

BRATISLAVA - VIENNA - PRAGUE
20.11.08 - 24.11.08

2008-11-22T09:19:00.006+08:00

Justin's producing and writing his university's

theatre production Blood Ties..

Do support him!

- Synopsis -
.

What holds a family together? Is it money, family values, crisis or simply pure love?

In this heart-warming comedy, three squabbling siblings are forced to unite when an outsider tries to lay claim on their father's business inheritance; a mother worries that her family is falling apart when her daughters adopt different family values; and a daughter while struggling with her mother's dementia, gets a shocking revelation about her family. Mixing Chinese Opera elements, wacky slapstick action and many endearing moments, Blood Ties is a family show not to be missed! This fiercely original SIM FILM AND PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY production stars an ensemble cast wholly comprising of student talents from SIM.

- Show Details -

9 January 2009, Friday 8pm
10 January 2009, Saturday, 3pm and 8pm

Tickets for evening shows at $25 (Cat 1) $20 (Cat 2) $16 (Cat 3) (exclude booking fee)
Tickets for Saturday Matinee at $16 (exclude booking fee)

Early Bird Discount (Applicable to Cat 1 and Cat 2 tickets for evening shows only)
15% Discount from 9 November to 23 November 2008

Other Discounts (Applicable to Cat 1 tickets for evening shows only)
20% Discount for SIM students, staff and members
15% Discount for PAssion Card members
10% Discount for full-time students, full-time NSmen and senior citizens

For information on corporate / group / school bookings, please email Ms. Liyana at fpa@clubs.sim.edu.sg

Tickets are available through the SISTIC hotline at 6348 5555, via the SISTIC website at http://www.sistic.com/ or at any SISTIC authorised agents islandwide.

2008-11-19T23:52:00.004+08:00

IT JUST STARTED SNOWING!

Thanks to Jeremy for telling me to look out my window..