Thursday, August 31, 2006

Bon Voyage, Alex!


I’ve forged an unlikely friendship with an 18 yr-old English boy, Alex. At 6’ 3”, a red mop of hair that is his crowning glory, a whole load of freckles, and the ability to talk the ear off a donkey, he is one helluva Energizer Bunny. We met at a time when I desperately needed to feel like a kid again and he sure as hell drew that silliness and whatever little spontaneity I had, out.

*We walked from one end of Orchard Road to the other in the rain with nothing but a teeny-tiny umbrella for protection. Ordinarily, I’d be bitching about the rain and jumping into the first taxi I saw, but today I just couldn’t stop laughing as we walked into huge puddles and got wetter and wetter until we were hopelessly soaked and soggy.*

Unfortunately he leaves for England tonight to begin university, and train with the Royal Air Force. Sigh… There goes my entertainment. So to celebrate his last night in sunny (now rainy) Singapore, we went to the Ministry of Sound.

Now that is one place a girl above the age of 25 should NEVER go to on a Wednesday night! Yes, even if it IS Ladies Nite (ironic huh...) unless you’re with friends your age and you are just CRAZY about the music they play there. I was surrounded by people 8 to 10 years my junior! I had absolutely nothing in common with them and the worst part is, you’re a target for testosterone pumped 16 year-olds who want to practice their pickup lines! One particular fellow (who only came up to my nose) kept staring at me through at least 5 songs with a huge grin plastered on his face and the minute Alex turned away he literally SWOOPED in, looking all pleased with himself. I was so taken aback I was momentarily at a loss for words. Nevertheless, not wanting to be impolite or appear haughty, I ‘admitted’ him into my dance space. Then at the end of the song, he asked if he could buy me a drink. I wanted to laugh, I swear! I could just picture myself standing at the bar trying to make small talk with him while he tried to impress me by… I dunno… whatever teenage boys do to impress teenage girls. So I simply told him that I didn’t drink and before he could get over his confusion as to why anyone in their right mind would not want to indulge in copious amounts of alcohol, I told him to go ahead and enjoy his drink, turned him around a nudged him in the direction of the bar. Alex was just beside himself with laughter… The ass!

Anyway, back to the point of this post... I’m gonna miss that freckled-face giant. Good luck in Birmingham, dude!

The Big Friendly GiantShow me those muscles!



Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Prissie the Groupie


* Warning: This post contains excessive gushings of a totally smitten fan.*



Ok as mentioned in my previous post, Radio Mundial is THE hottest band I've come
across recently. So, my MAIN AIM that last night of WOMAD was to get the autographs of all 5 memebers of the band. AND they had to sign on whatever I was wearing. (Only coz it's less difficult to misplace comapred to a piece of paper, and it's more interesting than getting them to sign on the CD... Honest! ;)) So, armed with 3 marker pens, I left most of my dignity at home and headed for WOMAD.

Jean playing the cuatroSeriously, you can't get a better combination in a band... sizzling Latin music and scrumilicious vocalists... Especially when Jean, riffs away on the cuatro in nothing but fitted jeans, a wifebeater and his cowboy hat *SWOOOOOOOOOOON*

(Note: Their photos on the net don't do them ANY justice whatsoever!)

I'm not very proud of it, but I allowed myself to be, as C. has labeled me, a groupie... just for a night. And be a groupie I did, from deliberately getting mehendi done on
my hand just so I could catch a glimpse of Jean as he browsed through some carpets at one of the other stalls, to pushing my way right to the front of the stage and screaming in response to every word that left their lips, and reaching up to shake Richard's hand as he leaned into the crowd.

Anyway, back to my quest for their signatures... I managed to garner 3 of them by hanging around the stage after their first performance, and the final 2 after the WOMAD finale, by casually 'passing by' the holding area and 'falling' into aimless chit-chat with one of them. And then, who should come by, but Jean (who recognised me from earlier as 'the girl with the shirt' *rolling my eyes*)... but I got weak all the same. Then he goes on to invite me to the after-party and I was reduced to a puddle. Minutes later, I found myself being snuck into the party, since it was apparently only meant for artists and staff, and had the most amazing time! There were huge coolers of alcoohol and trays of food, none of which I touched, coz I was too busy dancing!

But all good things have to come to and end, and after a couple of hours or less, I reluctantly took my leave and turned down an invitation to join them sight-seeing the next day. It was obvious he was just being polite... the dude doesn't even know my name! :p Sigh... it was a fantastic night, but like I'd promised myself earlier, my groupie status will begin and end at Fort Canning Park. Oh well, another story to tell my grandchildren... I danced and chatted with Jean Shepard. And even though he's probably forgotten that he ever met me by now, it's an experience I'll always remember...

*I am now back to my sensible self but it took me 2 whole days to stop grinning*


I love this shot!RadioMundialEncore

Bassist Brian and IRichard and I


I'm never washing this!
*mouseover the photos for descriptions*


Tuesday, August 29, 2006

WOMAD Singapore 2006

What can I say… IT ROCKED! Of course people would hold different opinions on whether WOMAD rocked but for someone who was in much need of a night of hard dancing, this was the event! Friday night alone got me dancing almost non-stop to the likes of Brazilian Chico Cesar, who got the crowd singing along within minutes in Portugese and bopping to his upbeat tunes. By this time I’d bumped into at least 10 old university friends, half of whom were my clubbing buddies, so we were jumping up and down with great abandon and doing the samba or some version or other of it. I have to say Chico Cesar has great charisma on stage and he knows how to keep the crowd engaged. And of course he was backed up by awesome musicians.

And then there was T-Bone, the reggae-ska-jazz 10-piece band (including trumpet, saxophone, bass saxophone, and a DJ called DJ Puki… yes that is what he’s called!) from Thailand, who pumped the already hyped-up crowed for an hour. My god I don’t know if it was all the pent up frustrations and stress, but I was high on musical release. And all I had was 1 beer and 1 cup of wine. They are a fantastic band, but even though they varied their tempo and rhythm from time to time, I felt that it got a little monotonous after awhile. But overall they still rocked!! Oh the best part was when the vocalist invited the crowd on stage! I sure as hell didn’t have to be told twice. I pulled myself up just as security moved in to prevent more people on. I swear that stage would’ve collapsed if they hadn’t. A dear colleague of mine (whom I’d met there) managed to take a video of me dancing on stage but accidentally deleted it!! Arrrghhh… I wanted to kill him! Oh well… Shit happens.

Korean Dulsori wowed the crowd with their spectacular drumming, and what was even more impressive was the fact that the majority of the members were women! That was some crazy ass drumming they did, complete with acrobatic moves and dancing, continuously for a whole hour! I felt exhausted just watching them! The stamina they must possess!

The closing act for Friday night is now one of my favourite bands. Radio Mundial, headed by Richard and Jean Shepard totally blew me away with their blend of Latin rhythms, funk and rock. My feet were successfully kept in constant motion, and the brothers’ Puerto Rican – Peruvian good looks ensured my eyes were fixed firmly on them… Talk about hot stuff man! The only thing that kept me from storming up on stage, grabbing and kissing them was the buffer zone that served the precise purpose of keeping people like me at bay :p I had to therefore, be content to ogle from below.

Jimmy Cliff closed on Saturday night to a sea of waving hands and a standing ovation. It was the first time I saw 95% of the crowd on their feet for any one performance. There were screams and cheers of encores and he of course obliged much to the delight of us all. Again I left WOMAD on a high (after all, I caught both Chico Cesar and Radio Mundial’s performance again. I even managed to get my photo taken with the latter hehehe.)

I have to mention that the other performances were equally good, just on a different level. I admit that my mood that weekend didn’t really allow me to appreciate them as much as they deserved though I’m quite sure I would have enjoyed them immensely had I been in a different state of mind.

Susana Baca’s sultry voice helped lower the energy a little and allowed us to catch our breaths while enjoying her very relaxing and soothing tunes.

The Musafir Gypsies of Rajasthan kept us enthralled with their traditional music, elaborate costumes and dancing.

Bukky Leo & Black Egypt contributed to the event with their afrobeat and jazz funk. I only caught them in the finale which was more of a jam session and so didn’t really experience their music.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to catch Sam Tshabalala’s performance so I really can’t comment. And I skipped all the workshops with the exception of Radio Mundial’s.

On the whole this year’s WOMAD was the best I’d been to. I’m very glad it wasn’t a repeat of last year’s somewhat low key and unimpressive line-up, considering the amount of money I spent on tickets and other miscellaneous stuff there. TWO THUMBS UP!!!

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Why?


Why do we have to make decisions we don't want to and then pay for them?

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Prissie the Grouch


It's 0421hrs, Tuesday morning. I was woken up by a bad dream and now it's next to impossible to go back to sleep. The incessant dripping of water in the pipes somewhere doesn't help :p Ordinarily I would be on the phone with J., like I always do when I have a bad dream, but now I can't, and it sucks :( BLEH!!! I've become such a grouch... Why?

Because I feel old.

I feel like a decrepit old cow.

A decrepit old cow who gets a buzz after only ONE mug of vodka 7-Up.

Who has not clubbed in a looooooooooooooong time.

Who gets worn out by normal daily events so easily that I'm in bed by 2300hrs.

And prefer quiet Sundays at home by myself.


Yaaaaaaaaaaaawn.......... I'm so BORING!!!

I need a snack.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

And the drama begins...


My housemate's jealous possessive 19 year-old girlfriend will be flying in from Italy on Wednesday for 2 weeks. And apparently, Mr. Genius didn't tell her that I share the apartment (for obvious reasons) so now if she ever asks, I'm only supposed to have moved in tomorrow :p Great... she'd better not give me an grief or I'll whoop her ass!


*Update: Said girlfriend not coming afterall. Apparently daddy didn't allow it. Woohoo!! I now don't have to be stuck in an apartment with a couple who have been apart for 5 months... Lord knows how much cuddling and canoodling would've gone on. :S

The Finish Line

Days go by in slow motion
I watch people go by through a screen
No on notices me
I'm glad
It's hard to accept that I've been left behind
But such is life
You can do everything to catch up
But it's never enough.

The journey was over before it even started
The finish line right in front
But I refused to see it
Couldn't bring myself to cross it
Now the final whistle
Has been blown
The last of the spectators
Gone...

I close my eyes
Memories dance past
Laughter, tears, love, passion
They're all still there...

I take a deep breath
It's going to be okay

I cross the line...

Friday, August 18, 2006

Disconnected

My head is pounding...
My eyes are hurting...
I have to disconnect...


For 27 years I've been trying
To believe and confide in
Different people I found
Some of them got closer than others
Some wouldn't even bother
And then you came around
I didn't really know what to call you
You didn't know me at all
But I was happy to explain.
I never really knew how to move you
So I tried to intrude through
The little holes in your veins
And I saw you...
But that's not an invitation
That's all I get
If this is communication
I disconnect
I've seen you, I know you
But I don't know
How to connect
So I disconnect.
You always seem to know where to find me
And I'm still here behind you
In the corner of your eye
I'll never really learn how to love you
But I know that I love you
Through the hole in the sky
Well this is an invitation
It's not a threat
If you want communication
That's what you get
I'm talking and talking
But I don't know
How to connect
And I hold the record for being patient
With your kind of hesitation
I need you, you want me
But I don't know
How to connect
So I disconnect...
I disconnect.
~The Cardigans~

Thursday, August 17, 2006

My dreamlover called...


...The BMW Z4 Coupe...

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

How to Get Through Life in One Piece...

I broke a cardinal sisterhood rule when I was 16... I went out with my sister's ex. I simply couldn't understand why she was so upset with me since they'd only dated for 2 weeks before she declared that she just wasn't into him. Well after about a week of sub-zero degrees at home, my dear amused mother finally decided to intervene and enlighten me on the Unwritten Rules of Sisterhood. (Thanks, mum.) And that was when I learnt that you NEVER NEVER date, snog, flirt, make meaningful eye-contact with your sister's ex. NO man is worth losing a sister over... or a good girlfriend for that matter.

Today, in order to help alleviate the boredom of having to sit through a 2 hour department meeting, I decided to pick the brains of my colleagues and see if they could regale me with other Cardinal Rules that they feel should NEVER NEVER be broken, on pain of death and the risk of being cursed for 7 generations to come. It got to be a little silly after awhile but here they are anyway...


NEVER NEVER...

1 ... gossip with your boss. It'll come back and bite you in the ass one way or other.
2 ... get drunk at a company party and make out with your boss' husband / have a ONS with a colleague.
3 ...call / SMS yout ex when you're drunk
4 ...read / check your partner's e-mails / SMSs
5 ...date, snog, flirt, make meaningful eye-contact with the guy with the gorgeous tush whom you KNOW your girlfriend / sister has a huge crush on
6 ...swear at your parents


And then there are the No-nos, the ones which you MAY be forgiven for doing, but still highly encouraged to avoid.


TRY NOT TO...

1 ...lie to get out of a family event, because, someone will inadvertently see you and it'll get back to the rest. Won't look good
2 ...wear coloured / printed knickers under white bottoms.
3 ...wear sleeveless tops without shaving / waxing your underarms
4 ...wear clothes that are in fashion but that you can't carry off... seriously...
5 ...wear stilletoes if you can't walk in them
6 ...dislodge food particles from a cavity with mouth wash. Unless you're addicted to pain.
7 ...drink warm coke immediately after eating chillies. Unless you enjoy your lips being on fire.
8 ...have calamaris on a first date / when with someone you want to impress.
9 ...photocopy various parts of your body and tape them to the notice board "because it's fun!"
10 ...have an affair with a client's husband
11 ...have an affait with a client's husband and get caught. It's happened!

I'm still on the lookout for more NEVER NEVERs... Share?

Sunday, August 13, 2006

On Growing Up

Speaking of change… a colleague of mine recently said that I’ve changed… one of those subtle shifts in personality that the larger population wouldn’t notice, only those whom I hang out with often. Apparently I’m not as light-hearted as I was before. I don’t club as often and I don’t drink as much; that I’m a little more abrupt, a little less patient, a little less tolerant. I was given the nickname “The friendly Malaysian”, but I don’t do the title justice anymore. Nevertheless, I took his comment as a positive thing. Why? Well to understand why, I’ll need to explain a little more about myself.

I’d always been an accommodating person, the type who found it difficult to say ‘no’ and volunteered to do things I was not required to do but did anyway because it put a smile on the other person’s face; the type who trusted implicitly and seldom questioned; the type who believed in the good in everyone and that we all deserve second chances; the type who believed that the world would be a better place to be in if everyone got over their egos and just started living a little…

But 3 years into the working world and I’ve come to realize that most people don’t really give a damn if you offered to help someone cover a class coz they were sick, or volunteer to run an errand, or put up with someone’s nonsense because they found it difficult to change their ways. All people (with the exception of a precious few) saw was an opportunity and a way to take advantage of it. And after being burned a couple of times, (the final straw happened last week) I figured, enough is enough. If people can’t appreciate what I do, then fuck them all… I’d rather reserve my energies and goodwill for others who actually deserve it.

I don’t want to say that I’ve become jaded, coz I don’t think I have. I still hold on to many of the aforementioned beliefs, but I think I’ve gone into self-preservation mode. And I’ve grown up a little more, something I was never really in a great hurry to do. So now I put my foot down a little more often, and do things at MY convenience when necessary, while still maintaining my professionalism when at work, and consideration for others when in a social setting. I’ve also accepted the fact that there are many many wolves in sheep’s clothing out there and that if I don’t want to be eaten alive, it’d do me good to be a little less trusting and a little more wary. So yes, I take my change very positively…

Time for a congratulatory can of beer….

Friday, August 11, 2006

Events

I've finally got a tentative date for my departure to Shanghai!! If everything goes according to plan, I'll be off on the **15th of September! A little over a month away. My first big 'move' out into the world... well second, momentarily forgot that I've not lived in Singapore all my life :p So third major change in my life so far, my first real job and my second move.

And I'm not the only one facing a big change, I know of several friends and loved ones who will be starting a new chapter...

My sister was offered a job with the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and will move Down Under in January. I have a feeling she will never leave Australia. Well, more reason for me to go down for a holiday!

Michelle and Ngeow recently found out that they’re expecting! Mich is 7 weeks pregnant, and I am absolutely thrilled for them! How exciting! They will be the first couple of friends whom I’ve known since secondary school to start a family… CONGRATULATIONS guys!

Jochen will be embarking on a 1-year internship with a financial company in Dubai, and if all goes well, will probably be working there for several more years to come. Keeping fingers and toes tightly crossed.

Girlfriend of mine has made the decision to quit her job by the end of the year to move to London where her boyfriend of 1 year is. I will miss her terribly but I'm very happy for her.

Sigh... Life can be so much fun sometimes...

**update: 15th Aug 2006

NOT 15th Sept, but 7th Oct... BAH!!! At least there's a plane ticket to go with the date this time :p

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Sentosa

Had a little bonding session with Alex yesterday. Since I don't work on Mondays, he decided to take the day off and chill with me on Sentosa, and he made sure that we made the most of it. (Embarrassingly enough, he knew the island better than I did and he was the one who showed me all the cool stuff :p) Our day started at 1000hrs and involved lotsa photo taking and about 5 hours on the beach, and, ended around 0100hrs after dinner at his restaurant and a chinese ghost story back home. My god I was tired. But it was a fantastic day nevertheless.



Alex is into photography so the few you see here are taken by him except the top right one and the leaves below. Was trying to be arty... :p








Sunday, August 06, 2006

Jedi Master Cilla

I was asked to help a couple of ex-colleagues out for a birthday party they were hired to orgnanise, and eventhough under ordinary circumstances I would gladly give up a couple of hours of my time whenever they need an extra hand, this request was extra special… it was a Jedi-themed party and I was to be one of the Jedi Masters… the first FEMALE Jedi might I add, to ever join them. Needless to say I was absolutely thrilled. I’d always harboured a secret wish to dress up as a Jedi and engage in a light saber battle. My costume, I know, wasn't very close to the proper Jedi outfit but I thought it looked pretty good. The kids absolutely loved it and the parents were glad to have them out of their hair for about 45 minutes while they tucked into the buffet spread to the sounds of their children attending 'The Jedi Training Academy'. I even got to engage in a fight scene with one of the other Jedi Masters who went astray and was nearly lost to the Dark Side. Fun Fun Fun!!

Friday, August 04, 2006

Finally...

... I've moved into my new place. It's actually my boss' but since she's left for Shanghai, she offered to let me have it up till the time I leave and join her (when that would be I don't know anymore... everything's been delayed and I feel like I'm in some sort of limbo). Apart from the first couple of days of interrupted sleep that usually comes with sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, I have to say I'm settling in quite nicely. It's obvious she'd put alot of thought into the layout and design of the apartment.

It's done up very stylishly without going overboard... simple elegance is how I like to think of it, with a very zen feel to the place -a stone water feature to one corner provides a gentle trickling sound, and instead of the standard 1+2+3 sofa set configuration, she decided on a day bed instead. The living room and bedrooms have wooden floorboards, while the rest of the place is tiled.

The bed's a futon on a raised portion of the room, and a personal wash basin sits in the far corner, next to the en suite shower. The toilet and the general wash basin are accessible via the shower cubicle or the kitchen, so guests will not have to troupe through her bedroom to use them.


Overall, it's a pretty cool place to live in. I would like to put up more pictures but am having a few technical difficulties so these are all I can offer right now. Will see what happens...


Oh by the way, I share the place with an Italian pizza chef called Alessandro (or Alex) whom I barely see due to our very different schedules. I've been
here about 5 days and I've only met him once. Oh well...