Like take my family issue that just came up out of no where – let’s put it into perspective, but I need to bring you readers up to date.

Cousin A wants to gather the cousins for a gathering of sorts. So after finally catching up over the CNY period, we met up a few times and A feels that we should gather the whole family. Like Joe, Cindy, Ricky, Rosie, Polly, Franky, Helen, Joyce and Roland, plus their kids, Amelia, Jimmy and wife, Serene and husband (unfortunately both are in the USA), Natasha (who isn’t exactly very outgoing – barely remember her speaking at all), Reagan (and his girlfriend) and Regina, ME, TL and Peter, Steph (who has disappeared of some sorts also) and her sister, Reuben and his sister Dinah.

Do the math. A wants to gather all of us in some chalet or function room, and was the one who instigated that Aunt Helen’s place is too small (4-room flat) for all of us. True, but also not practical.

Basically, why can’t we, available cousins, just go to Starbucks or watch a movie when we do meet often, or a nice buffet on occasion? Is there a need to wait for all 13 cousins to have a matched date and that Serene is in Singapore before we meet? Want to also invite the spouses and partners or not?

Also, why must we always talk about gathering the whole clan ALL THE TIME?

Whose time are we really wasting? Like, seriously.

Not mine – FYI I’ve just finished a two-session concert recently, and I’m not going to stop moving with another show in July and a lot more in October. In November, I’d graduate. I’ll sit back for awhile then and ask you how much have you done before I hit the roads for carolling.

If you’re still stuck in your funk, I believe that your library will still be in a mess and you’ll be out of a job again, and anyway in part it’s because your student management

sucks

. What is a CCA if students don’t do a single thing for the CCA – what more librarians who don’t shelf? It’s so epic-suck that it needs its own line.

It’s like saying that I’ve formed a madrigal chorus out of the mute – no offense to mutes or hand-sign choirs, I love you guys despite the lack of vocals. But honestly, librarians who don’t shelf, yet take library time to snack and do little chatter and go on YOUR FaceBook account and play games, and leave their lunch boxes around for your to clear? *shakes head*

There you are, blaming your school for not managing the students when I believe it is your duty to bring these students in whichever session they have with you to clear as much shelving as you can. I sat on the student and alumni advisory board of a school library before – I know that it can be done and it is expected to be done.

And fancy that. I need to vent this out.

1. Food

You took it upon yourself to plan the buffet menu (if you guys are curious, I don’t mind giving free advertisement here, she wanted to order from http://www.bbqhouse.com.sg/) and for $15/pax, we’ll get:

• Cucumber and onions
• Fried rice
• Fruit platter
• Hongkong fried mee
• Mini Spring rolls
• Mango Pudding
• Loh han Vegetable
• Satay Mutton (cooked) & gravy
• Choco Banana
• Nonya Chicken Curry
• French loaf

Your claim is that you know what we’d eat and all, especially since nobody offered to help you. Before I went into that intricacy, I asked you a few questions and I’d like to highlight one that hit me the worst.

I suggested maybe we can get a mix of chicken and mutton satay. You said it’s pre-portioned and it’ll cost more. Fine.

BUT why mutton? You said chicken is very common. Well, Mrs Joe Kam, aka my mother, doesn’t take mutton. You said there are other foods. So there we go, Mrs Kam doesn’t get to eat satay, her favourite food.

And the satay already comes with gravy and cucumber and onions – I asked her why is there double order. I highly suspect that it was a preference thing, as the question was averted and avoided. And for $15/pax for 10 persons, we have to chip in extra to get our own drinks. I think I don’t mind paying $1-2 more to get drinks provided like we used to have during CNY from the caterer.

If the caterer doesn’t provide drinks, go to another one! There’re loads of catering businesses that can offer more for $200 (after delivery) and I’m very sure that since we’re ready to go up to $20 per person (assuming 10-12 is all we’re getting to come), we can pay for drinks. Heck, I’d bring vodka if someone promises to bring the mixers.

NOOOOOOOOOOO. You want your Yeo’s canned drinks from the supermarket. You think it’s easy to bring your whole family and still need to buy drinks on the way?! I don’t mind buying/bringing serviettes, or disposables you see, but to buy drinks when we can have it delivered with the food is a huge joke.

Then for some weird reason, you went for a dinner with Aunty Helen, Aunty Rosie and Uncle Francis; and suddenly the $15/pax buffet became a $10/pax mystery. Plus some sort of a demand that TL comes for this gathering.

Mystery first.

The mystery was unveiled as CHICKEN WINGS AND COLESLAW.

KNS. ZOMGWTFBBQZZZZZZZ.

How many chicken wings can one person take in 2 hours?! 3? 4? Not more than 10 to make it worth, right?

For $10 per person, we’re paying $2.50 per chicken, you know?! This is considering that we don’t take the coleslaw, which many of us don’t. I personally don’t take coleslaw for one – I’m sure there are others in the family who don’t take coleslaw. And ONCE AGAIN – NO DRINKS. Eat fried food and no drinks?!

And A said, MY MOTHER IS EXPECTED TO COME AND BRING FRUITS.

My Mother is your DOMESTIC MAID ah?

People are turned off by $10/pax for only chicken wings and coleslaw and you still want people to COME AND BRING FRUITS?! It’s not like “Hey, we’d like that your mum to come.”

So if my mum says, she’s coming but no fruits, I wonder if A will be be thick-skinned enough to say, “Your family provide drinks then..” OUTRAGEOUS RIGHT?

So obviously, I was outraged and then I went on by saying that nobody in the right mind will come for it. NOBODY. I don’t know about the younger cousins, but I’m sure they’re all thinking twice.

2. Religious standing

You said that this gathering is for Ah-ma.

I QUESTION THAT.

If it is for Ah-ma, I don’t see the consideration for it. Why are we all put to so little information and a lot of shocks if it is for ah-ma? Shouldn’t we just come and pay $15-20 per pax and then settle in nicely instead of having to care about so much logistics?

Then you added, we will pay for it in the future. THIS IS CONDEMNATION. You want me to make it sound cruel – YOU’RE THE ONE CURSING ALL THESE INIQUITIES ON YOUR OWN UNCLES AND AUNTIES, YOU BITCH.

C-O-N-D-E-M-N-A-T-I-O-N, CONDEMNATION.

So much for being a God-loving, Bible-touting Christian. More of I-Think-I-Am-God.

I’m sure Ah-ma didn’t bring up a grand-daughter to tout the bible so tightly. I don’t see you practising your Sabbath. I don’t see you being a go-getter like what the bible wants us to be.

I’m not a perfect example, but at least I have faith to believe that He will guide my way out of problems, no matter how messy; and I love people in general. (I’m still learning that lattermost part.)

Plus, you said nobody came to help you plan for the menu, etc…

I FUCKING DID. I FUCKING DID ASK YOU TWICE AND YOU SAID WAIT FOR THE REST TO RESPOND TO YOU. AND YOU FUCKING SURPRISED ME WITH A FUCKING MENU PLANNED AND YOU TOLD ME IT IS LIKE VERSION 4562802932732838632 AFTER SOME FUCKING CONSIDERATIONS OF WHAT WE WILL EAT. AND YOU SEEM TO NOT REMEMBER THAT BUT INSIST THAT MY MUM DOES EATS MUTTON.

That last part, so much for respect for my mum, or anyone for that matter. MY GOD-DAMNED MOTHER. She’s my mum, so I’m entitled to endear her with whatever I like to call her, but I’ll defend her rights.

THEN after you announced the huge $10/pax mystery, I told you my unhappiness about it (could be maybe because I think and feel faster than the average cousin you have, so that’s why I’m always the one replying) and you blocked me on Whatsapp and FaceBook shortly. You know what?

I DON’T GIVE A DAMN TO YOU, YOU FUCKING BIBLE-TOUTING PERSON.

So much for understanding hurt and wanting to fix the issue. You said I don’t care about what you’ve told my aunts to “defend” me. It’s simple and clear, no apologies from those idiots, doesn’t feel like you’ve said much that impacted them. A real defending statement will bring about a change.

I don’t see them telling me how sorry they are to accuse my friends or me of stealing money for my iPad, which was a birthday gift. So cut it out, whatever bullshit, you’re causing this family to break up further – so stop, shut your gap and stay away.

You can go play your block-him-block-her games while trying to play pity party.

You’re the one blocking people, and so much for unity – people can see. I don’t need to tell them anything.

SO YOU KNOW WHAT? Screw you – and until I hear from you, I hope that NOBODY attends your fucked up little “praise me cuz I planned it all” family gathering that aims to only GLORIFY you for some warped sin you’ve committed while you were younger.

Want to talk about who’s bitchier? No need, I’ll admit it’s me. ME. ME. ME. ME. ME!

I’m sorry for being bitchier, but I’ve got bigger things to do, and a career to build. Swag all you want.

No offence to friends in the PRC, I know I’m kinda outdated, but WTF.

Singapore’s mainstream news are glamourising the PRC driver that crashed the cab, killing both driver and passenger. The cab driver has been declared dead, the female passenger has succumbed to injuries shortly after the crash.

It shocks me to read that in light of his grievous sin of drink-driving that has KILLED two lives, he was described by Chinese papers as “年輕有為，高大英俊” (Young and Successful, Tall and Handsome), while mention of the cab driver was “德士司機腦死” (Cabbie is Brain-dead).

HOW FAIR IS THIS BULL SHIT?!?!

Just because his net worth is more than the other two combined, he was defended by The Straits Times? I quote from The Temasek Times:

“The Straits Times even tried to defend him by quoting from his friends that he did not drink that night after a meeting at a clan association even when eye-witnesses already said he reeked of alcohol when they approached his body. It also tried to elicit public sympathy for the family of Ma Chi while ignoring the pain and suffering of other victims.”

WHAT IN HEAVENS?!

(Ma Chi is the “young and successful, ya-dah-ya-dah-ya-dah-bullshit” PRC that drove that Ferrari that crashed into teh cab and killed two lives, one of a old cab driver and the other, the passenger on said-cab.)

I quote from a FOAF:

“Most coverage was on that rich PRC, like he’s some kind of innocent man who didn’t deserve to die, while the real collateral causalities (deceased and their family) from his irresponsible and reckless act were hardly even mentioned.”

WTF indeed, right?

Take this for example:

A huge Foreign firm cons Locals of money before sending a press release that states that they are “declaring bust” and thus leaves without much of a spark; and all the news coverage just goes on the pitch that the country has lost such a great company, with no mention of how much in estimates that the locals have lost collectively.

Would it be fair?

And before I digress, I thought about it: WHO ALLOWED THESE DRIVERS TO HIT THE STREETS?

Is there a check if they knew the rules thoroughly before driving in Singapore? Do you know that while we Singaporeans would have to go through months and months of lessons and assessments to get a licensed, these PRCs merely just convert their license without much of a hitch by means of a translated English license and taking the BTT?

Hah! The BASIC THEORY TEST ONLY?! I believe all Singaporeans have to go through more than just the BTT to be certified to drive in our streets.

Let’s digress, I’m naggingly reminded of this authority-hating situation which I got in.

Since then I told myself before, never to let a PRC cab driver have my business because I had this horrible experience. Let me go on first. I remembered it like it was just yesterday. I needed to rush down to Holland Village.

Just a little background knowledge, I live at Stirling Road, in Queenstown. I often just tell people I live along Queensway because it’s a more prominent seen as that. (Yes, if you do recognise me, or see me, do feel free to say hi. Don’t whisper “blog writer” or things like “bastard” under your breaths. On second thoughts though, keep the latter to yourselves.)

Returning back to the story, I told the driver that I’d like him to take the route up Queensway, towards Farrer Road and turning into Holland Road from the highway, instead of turning into Commonwealth MRT, where New Town Primary is.

The driver refused my preferred route, claiming that he knows a shorter way because OUR GOVERNMENT gave him his license to drive and provided him a job as a cab driver.

He turned into Portsdown Road and went via AYE to Buona Vista MRT and then turning in from there.

You be the judge, how is that route shorter than the two I have mentioned? And honestly, from the perspective in the service industry, shouldn’t the onus of the “right route” be one of the patron’s?

I’m tired and I think I’ve said enough that will garner me another hike up in some loser forum as one that quotes from “politically-skewed” articles. TNP, Chinese papers and ST has reported on it. As I told my friends, I put the blame on the editors for not considering the current negative sentiments lingering around to allow such a grievous headline go through.

UPDATE:

Yes, I’ve heard from some people and all. Fine, all of them are dead, I know, and there is nothing we can do. Fine, I shouldn’t have quoted from Temasek Times. Fine, fine, fine. I’m sorry if I made any of you angry and angsty at PRCs for no reason. DO NOT PUNCH INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE PRCS, or in fact, DO NOT DO ANYTHING AT ALL AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE WITHOUT THINKING THROUGH.

Thank you very much.

My mum has two nodules in her right breast. And it is an underestimation to say that I feel indifferent about it, especially just by looking at how I’ve been acting.

But.

Doesn’t life go on still?

There’s a fine line between being heartlessly indifferent and being confused to the extent you are forced to take things as it comes.

I’ve heard so much about how I should act, some saying I should start being filial to her and start being some sort of a man-slave to her.

Haven’t I kinda lost enough for her already? My education, my career and almost, my music and health.

And something as objective has filial piety has been given some demented subjective twist. I feel that we should examine our circumstances and the situation before we take steps to tell people what to do. In fact, we shouldn’t do that when it doesn’t deal with them directly.

I don’t tell X how to treat his mother, but I do tell him (at times subjectively, because I tend to be more honest in that retrospect) that he should work on certain grooves to swing on.

Anyway, I just find it how sad people’s lives are that they have to tell me how to treat my mother now. Sighs.

I can’t continue doing this, partly because I need to sleep. I hope the morning makes it better.

What are the chances of having home-cooked food with a really good friend?

An ideal day should roughly go like this, with the assumption one leaves his/her office by 6PM:

7PM - Meet the good friend (either at my house or his/her house) for dinner, something simple where the focus is on how our day(s) were, and more or less nothing complicated like how under/over-cooked the food was, or how bad the service was.

8.15PM – Decides that a good caffeine fix is in order and travels to the nearest joint, conversation goes on and goes into a bigger frame work, one that makes you feel even more involved in each other’s lives.

8.30PM – Iced Shaken Lemon Green Tea from the barista who is also a friend. Love these by-chance meetings, especially when you’re on a roll. Settled in on a nice couch and just start talking, and sharing ideas. The conversation becomes one that we contribute to each other’s lives and ideas.

9.30PM – Takes our leave, and walks towards the supermarket.

10.30PM – Reaches home, and sinks into the sofa after a nice shower. Watches favourite shows, and realises that almost a-third of the brook I brought out is finished whilst travelling to and fro.

Ideal, right?

Simple also, isn’t it?

Tell me how you feel, k?

Personally, I will not cross certain lines, and I will definitely defend myself against accusations or rumours of what I have not done, unless it is not worth my time nor energy because some people are just not worth it (e.g. short-fart*).

Truth: There are politics everywhere – and I can’t help but to feel that it is counter-productive. In many ways of understanding, these are what keeps some people from throttling at each other’s throats also. Unfortunately also, we end up with what I know as impression-by-relation, you are who you work with/for.

Sometimes you are just working for a certain cause, and believe me when I say that at certain juncture you’re bound to meet people who will do a certain something, behave a certain way, or just act weird (could be you yourself, just a mental note) around you, because of a certain occupational affiliation.

During the TT Durai-NKF case, I’m sure marketers and publicists for NKF were given cold shoulders or just really lousy treatment from the general public or fellow non-profit health charity workers. We end up being tagged as “supportive” of the actions of the paymaster, because we’re “paid to do the bidding of the person at the top”.

Maybe I’m just being too dumb to truly understand the severity of the situation, or maybe I’m just hitting myself dry.

Let’s be honest here:

WHY THE HELL^ IS THIS GOING AROUND HERE?!

Nobody is playing a monopoly here, and I’m just honestly a small fry. (But you should know that it was really nice to hear that I’m rather, in my own words, prominent.) Honestly, I started out with this as an interest to see a unified community, even if not in association, at least in the name of interest.

I didn’t make friends for the sake of building something to split people apart, and I’m not saying that certain individuals did. Often enough also, I’ve to make a decision regarding making an informed choice or a knowledgeable move.

Do you know the difference?

One means to avoid walking into the minefield because I know what it is already. The other is walking into a space, already knowing how to disarm mines.

There is no fence, no center line, no neutral ground in the eyes of these people. In situations like this, it’s worst than choosing to breathe toxic gases or choosing to have a friend take your place in the toxic gas chamber. Someone has to die eventually.

Maybe that’s why being a mercenary rocks.

You move only for the money. (So much for Jessie J, I’m still rather (childishly) annoyed that people are willing to pay hundreds to hear her sing that it’s not about the money.)

But I do not want to be motivated solely by and for money, because I’m no short-fart*, her Elven male-whore* nor the emo-twin*.

I really don’t know. I don’t want to be a sellout, that’s for sure.

I’m leaving abruptly because staying up to fret over this isn’t really productive at all, plus unlike Short-Fart* and friends, whom are night owls who diligently seek any form of information that they twist to “slanderize” other people, I do have a life.

Short people like short-fart and her friends rarely have a life. And it’s a fact.

*Names have been obscured to protect individual identities, no guarantees if actual human beings alive identify certain individuals. Your choice if you want to take on certain nicknames and assume that I like calling you these names with no evidence. You can nickname me “The Great”, or “The One”, k? *shrugs*

^I promised certain individuals to watch out what I put in public domain, I’m not as “obscure” as I used to be.

OH. You mean I’m finally blogging again. Yes. I decided to forgo sleeping earlier to just note down how I feel.

This might be long.

William Shuester said in the latest (Winter Finale) episode of Glee:

“You guys are young. I want you to promise me, that no matter how depressed you get, no matter how hopeless, or alone you feel. You’ll try your best to imagine all the amazing experience you have ahead of you.”

I really don’t know. I realize that certain elements of Glee are true to social circumstances in society these days. You can’t help but to care for these people while watching the various story-arcs in play as if they’re really existing.

Bullying – for one, is real.  Being selfish or so foolish that you’d throw your life ahead in reckless abandonment for the things you desire at the moment is real too.

Then comes the last 10 seconds. When Quinn got into the accident. MIND. BLOWN.

Wow. I still can’t believe I’m left hanging in agony because I actually am worried for Quinn (aka, horribly curious how the story will go on).

But the gist of things here is – a car accident, is real too. People do die from car accidents. Especially when the collision is on the driver’s side.

I refuse to seek out spoilers for the upcoming episode. 6 more weeks to wait. I have Doctor Who.

Back to what Will Shuester said earlier about experiences, and imagining what lies ahead of us.

Here’s my take on his little exercise:

I look forward to the day I can positively impact others with what I can offer by teaching. It doesn’t have to be in a musical element, neither does it have to be a bonded civil role as a full-time teacher.

I think back on the days where I fall down in the path of life and I was taught to look back and look how far I have come since my last fall. It is a crippling act if one doesn’t understand the rationale behind “looking back”.

Unfortunately for me, I found out the hard way that if I have nothing to look forward to, I wouldn’t have the means to go forward. Looking back just encourages a sense of fake accomplishment, one that just cheats you to believe that you are strong, while it should only serve as a reminder that you can still make a step forward (since you’ve made a million steps before this fall).

Mind you, this is not going to be some rattling of random thoughts just to fill in space.

I want to make an impact as well.

1. Falling is OK

How many times have you looked at yourself and told yourself that you can make it despite it being hard?

Just because one person seems strong and all doesn’t mean we are that self-sufficient emotionally. I am very sure that we all slipped up one time or more, and we gritted our teeth and moved on, telling ourselves that everything will be better ahead.

I absolutely empathize with people who are not happy with themselves over failure and they are forward about having it out of their systems once and twice (or more). I like how they speak upon reflection and sometimes they’re really very sincere about it, tears not necessary and all I can do is just listen.

I say, falling is okay as long as you stand up stronger. Yes, sometimes we fall again because we didn’t fully understand what made us slip the last time around, but you just pick yourself up (for some they require help – all okay) and get a grip of things and go on.

Totally hate it when some people fall and whine and cry, yet not understand what happened to them. Enough thoughts about slapping such people. I’m on a roll.

2. Coming Out of the Closet

I must admit that being asexual is a blessing and curse to me. Why yes, I am asexual.

On one hand, I do not see the point of sexual gratification as a focal point in a relationship, and neither do I feel I should get into a relationship; but I get taunts for being closeted and all – fact is, I am neither closeted or gay.

I am just being myself and loud about it. I forgive the hundreds of people who speculated and have started or fueled the rumors. Rumors have it, you’re not very good yourself.

I’m glad I have friends who come out to me, and more often that not I am glad they did because I want my friends to be comfortable talking to me without double-thinking if they’d let slip.

To those grinning in their seats, I’ve let you win enough by not commenting when you whisper in the dark and all. Bite yourselves hard now. You can accept someone being straight or gay, but not asexual. You got to be pretty warped.

3. Death and Cliffhangers

Something about the music from this episode I like is the tone of it all.

Midway through what we think would be wedding bliss, Quinn Fabray gets into a car accident, a hit to the driver’s side.

Let’s think of it rationally. Yes. She might die. She might be confined to a wheelchair. She might come out unscathed, just a tad pissed she couldn’t be there at the wedding.

But how do we deal with the real thing? I really don’t know how I’d react if a friend were to pass on.

But I absolutely hate a cliffhanger so juicy.

That’s really just about it, because this episode left me a lot to think about the issue of bullying, coming out and its mellow tone made me reflect.

But anyway, I know I should be blogging on a weekly basis, but I guess it heavily depends on how tired I am. I do write drafts and all, and sometimes thing just be so spontaneous like this entry. I promise I’ll write more often, and I’ll update you readers, yeah?

BTW, if you have me on Instagram, you’d see the juicy pictures I have. Yes, we’re all talking about the likes of…….

Disclaimer: It’s just a morning thing. I don’t think do negatively that often.

(Somewhat) A much deserved rest and possibly meeting some good (and real) friends, instead of the pleasantries that we oft-exchange during this period of time.

I’m just taking a bit of time to jot down how I feel about the past few days leading to this and I feel that I should get a grip of life and just move on. Questions that linger asks why do I feel that way.

Some things aren’t meant to be, i.e. will not come ever. Like how some people say I’m too much of a potato to enjoy Chinese New Year, but fact is, maybe I just don’t have the right people to “celebrate” and pass by time with to make it as festive as it claims to be?

Maybe that’s why, unlike some other people who draw closer to family during this time, I tend to become a victim of technology itself and connect with other people, and I grow envious.

Vicious cycle?

I agree, but it’s not going to get me down. I’m going to make the best of it. I know I’m an overcomer. I’ve overcome bigger things in life before. And before I let this grow and manifest negatively, I should just ignore it.

Look Derrick, and friends (readers of the blog). The world is bigger than it seems already, let’s not be intimidated and shrivel back into the shell. It’s just the first step and there will always be bigger challenges. Some people fall sick during the first week of school,

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So far, I’ll be traveling again, meeting even more people in the a cappella scene through work and in personal contexts as well. Don’t be so harsh and calm down.

Derrick (and friends,) KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

Enjoy CNY!!

8.30AM
Thou first alarm for the morning buzzed. Body refused to wake up, as I’m still buried under very cushy materials known as “pillow”.

8.50AM
Finally woke up and showered, rushed down to the bus stop and realised that the bus to reach work on time has left less than 5 minutes ago.

9.30AM
Still on the way to work, and was tweeting and taking photos on Instagram. And suddenly L texted and we started a convos.

10AM
A called and we kinda had a heart to heart talk about how things were, short, but A apologized and I felt bad that I wasn’t the one who apologized first. But admittingly, I was glad to put this aside.

10.15AM
Reached Marine Terrace, went to buy brunch. Lee called and we were talking about a common friend. Why are people talking about death so often? Doesn’t bother me actually, because I see it as a phase in time for everyone. But what if it’s a good friend.

10.30AM
Reached the Society and started clearing emails and making calls to sponsors for our special Youth A Cappella Weekend. Try to come for it if you can!

Was chatting with Y about her being sick amidst everything.

11.40AM
KJ texted in and “dropped a bombshell”. Reality hit me again (after so many years) that we all have ticking time bombs within us, but it didn’t matter for me now. But I hate to lose the friends I keep now, but I do not want to fight too fiercely for them.

What is the balance? I thought to myself and decided not to think too much. Yet.

11.50AM
I got hungry, so I started on my brunch. Fried noodle with egg toufu and braised toufu.

While eating, I went on FaceBook and checked on the concert I was going to attend in the evening. I decided when I left the house I was going in just jeans and a tee, except I’m wearing the hoodie – up, the “signature” Derrick hoodie.

1.30AM
The kids and A returned from the pool and they seem to have a blast (why didn’t daddy bring me for swimming lessons, huh?) A and I started to talk about working with Orita Sinclair for our biggest project to date: VOCAL EDGE. It was then I realised this is a gem of a project to learn from – though I won’t be singing in it.

It didn’t ache me to think that S wouldn’t be singing for Vocal Edge. Let’s not give a bad image of us overly-enthusiastic Singaporeans to the Father.

3.12PM
More calls. Decided to just attend the concert and go home straight.

5PM
Stopped the calls, decided to just work on things that are miscellaneous.

6PM
One final email, as C packs and waits for me for dinner.

7PM
Hopped on the first bus to SOTA for the concert with Raffles Singers. Learned that some friends are similar in trait, which is good. Good to have friends who are similar.

8PM
Met Lawrence from Wild Empire – feeling bad that I’ve totally stopped going back for rehearsals because I wanted to sing with Urban Harmony, plus work schedule during October didn’t do well for us.

Concert started with Raffles Singers performing Sanctus. I LOVE IT!

9.15PM
INTERMISSION! Met up with Esther from SOTA and heard about it. Yes, I did.

Not that I commented, but I said I was thirsty and I GOT LEMON GREEN TEA! You gotta love Esther for being so motherly. ><

10PM
Concert ended with Toh Ban Sheng’s arrangement of Rasa Sayang. Ideally, I should like it, but I guess the only part I like is how it draws parallel to other arrangements I’ve read before.

Went straight home and locked myself while I just slowly dipped into Lala Land.

Ideally, this is more or less I wish my life would be – simple and clear cut. But you know what, I like how my schedule changes at times.

Anyway, gotta go prepare for service.

I know I’ve been very late on the Sing Off entry, but I’ve been busy and that post is still being reviewed. But no worries, I’ll still share what I feel about it in time.

Most of my good friends were pretty much in the know what has been happening to me. To the uninitiated, I have a Twitter feed, and it doesn’t seem good over the week that was this.

Just before I go on, I guess some people just need to understand how I define someone as a friend. This is not some form of label nor stereotype, as friends are people who are close to your heart because no matter the proximity, they define and refine you.

But of course, that being said is already a paradox. Why should I still have friends that I put off as close friends, good friends, and some are just friends. For me, I have an “Interests Rule”, this unwritten rule that sets these people aside.

Generally, I have been privileged to have quite a big scope of exposure to many things of interests since young – too much in fact. Some I grew to like (like singing and directing) and some I grew to hate (like crossing the rope bridge in Surabaya or directing a school camp for unappreciative people).

This “privilege” has built this thirst (which I often put aside) for new experiences. How many of you can tell people that you’ve went to Vienna and saw a grown woman shit on the streets; or you simply went for OBS overseas before?

And I like it that my friends help me feed my interests, build new interests, or rekindle them. Simply put it, I like friends who fuel my interests in things. Be it their lives (you might not know what you can learn hearing about people), a hobby (I learned Gundam model appreciation from Ron), food (YES!) or just an appreciation for Japanese Kabuki by a particular Japanese practitioner.

And a certain few people meet these criteria. I’ve learned that over time, it’s not how long you’ve known certain people, but how much you have added/taken away from their lives at times that determine these things. Of course I’m also not like Barney who has a guy for everything, even a guy called Guy to get guys for him.

So my good friends are people whom I really can have a good time because our interests are similar enough for us to enjoy company, and of course the other things apply like understanding and trust and all. A close friend is one who can read me and vice versa (not fair to be read all the time and not make an effort to know that person.)

The typical friend is just someone whom I’d hang out with, but we share nothing substantial in common. Examples include people whom I meet only at a cappella concerts, and never talk to about personal matters or just a mere sharing of how we are and what we want to do.

Anyone else are just acquaintances – people whom I’ve only met once or twice a year, have totally nothing in common besides a common friend.

Hope that is over me. Of course, over time I’m sure I’ll come up with a new revelation how to define these people.

But all in all, I’m glad I’ve found friends who are both in and out of the a cappella community. I know I love singing and the a cappella community at large is a huge circle internationally, but things get boring after awhile and especially since I work at TAS, where I work on the back end of events unless I get to sing.

And to add to my list of interests, I was intrigued when I read about this very interesting place in Japan.

Nope. It isn’t Hokkaido, Tokyo, Nagasaki or what.

It’s… HASHIMA ISLAND.

Picture was taken from UnfinishedMan.com.

If you check out the site and possibly run a Google, you’d see that it is a very interesting place and would understand why I like to visit the place.

There’s this thing in me that likes to explore abandoned places/buildings. Yes. It’s called URBAN EXPLORATION.

I like to imagine how places were used to be utilised, how rooms were decorated from the glue stains on walls, or how the light will flow into the room and it’ll be used and how people worked.

And guess what? I thought this was damn interesting as well:

That is the Walled City of Hong Kong, which is the spot where Kowloon’s Walled City Park is now. Imagine buildings were a mere 1-2 meters away from each other!

Unfortunately it has been torn down due to various reasons, but it’ll make a very interesting visit if it was still around.

But things like that really make excellent fodder for a travel journal to show my kids.

Gahh… Wanderlust – the things it makes you think about, accompanied with things that break the monotony of life and lets you imagine a world if its own.

In other news, I’ve changed the layout of the blog!!