Residing in sunny Singapore where the food is great, weather is either too hot or too wet, where the worst drivers in the world are found and cars prices so high that car owners feel they own the road.
"As many of you now know this friday will be my last day with PwC so I wanted to say good bye and thank you for everything. My decision to leave was not a snap decision as it may have seemed but a well thought out process. It started one night in the audit room as I was helplessly attempting to focus on some inane, completely irrelevant task so I could leave when the green card carrying cleaning lady came into my cage to empty my garbage when my decision was made. I realized that I was actually jealous of her job. I would have gladly emptied the garbage cans in the whole building over any of the nonsense I was doing on my computer. See, at the end of her shift she has made a difference, she has added value, be it minimal, of removing the refuse from the employees cubes. At the end of the day she sees the empty garbage cans and knows that she accomplished something. When trying to apply this mindset to my own work I found it to be impossible. At the end of my shift, I will have documented a control, that was only created for the sake of having a control, and my work will..."
It was nice to see most of us coming to school in red. But what struck me the most today is how enthusiastically everyone sing together when the teachers played the NDP songs. So here are some of my favorite NDP songs in order, ending with my most favorite at the end of the post. But I must thank http://www.sha.tc/singapore/ndp-songs for the inspiration and some of the links.
10. One People, One Nation, One Singapore(1990) An oldie but you can't deny it's catchy and easy to sing. Lack a bit of emotion though.
9. Where I belong by Tanya Chua (2001) Not too bad but just lack that little magic. And the tune is not that catchy.
8. Stand up for Singapore! (1985) The first song written especially to commemorate National Day! (before that, we only have 'Chan Mali Chan' and '相信我吧!新加坡!') Upbeat and catchy but too many politically correct words inside. And right now, Singapore have come far enough that 'standing up' is no longer enough... the people have to do more than that!
7. Count on me Singapore (1986) One of the songs that sometime I mistaken it for 'We are Singapore'. Soothing tune, easy lyrics, catchy chorus. But slightly corny and 'fake', yeah?
6. Home by Kit Chan (1998) A bit melancholic (sad) and a bit slow but otherwise beautifully written. Can't say it's a song for high spirits but if you're one of those listening to this while stationed overseas, I bet tears will roll.
5. Things so Singapore by Ann Hussein (2009) The unofficial song that had gained internet popularity in this year 2009 NDP. It's nice, but not really a 'group singing' song. I mean, you can't imagine the whole National Stadium echoing with this song, isn't it?
4. What do you see by Electrico (2009) The first song by a Singaporean band that made it big (relatively in the local scene). The lyrics is meaningful and the tune is nice, just not perfect. It just lack that little something, a climax to the song maybe? The song begins with a question, and at the end, I'm still asking myself what do I see...
3. My Island Home by Kaira Gong (2006) Erm...disregarding the fact that I actually know the singer in person (briefly, in NUS), I feel that this song has one of the most changes in terms of mood and tempo. Started slow and gentle, and finally crashing with a strong "I believe!" at the chorus, before settling down again.
And hearing Kaira (or Shi Jia) sing live, right in front of you without any mics or instrument, is way much better than what you hear from the CDs.
2. We are Singapore (1987-1988) This is my most favorite NDP song before the invasion of pop singers and even poppier songs. Still, even after 23 years, you can't deny you actually prefer to sing the National Pledge rather than recite it, just like how they did it in this song.
Extremely easy to sing, lyrics are very easy to remember. Grand and yet not too sombre. Not too slow and yet not too fast like a dance music, I truly believe this is a real gem of a song. And they like it so much that this song was used for 2 years! If you haven't hear this song before, you must give it a try.
1. We will get there by Stefanie Sun (2002) Besides that fact that I am quite a supporter of Stefanie Sun, I really like the tune of this song. The strong rhythm by the bass sets a good intro, with a gradual increase in instrument and finally peaking at the chorus. Part rock, part pop, which is what I like! Lyrics wise I prefer the chinese version but I think the arrangement is wonderful and with Stefanie's unique voice, it's actually one of the few NDP songs that can be 'sold' as a top pick pop song.
For NSmen of Singapore, if you did not manage to pass your IPPT within 1 year (starting from your birthday), you will need to attend Remedial Training (RT). RT is a twice a week Physical Training (PT) session that includes some simple exercise plus a 3 km run. All done in the company of fellow NSmen that had failed IPPT too.
It wasn't as bad as I thought. The PTIs knew most of use were physically ill-conditioned and hence the exercises are scaled down. The last session, we even played a game ("Are you smarter than your fellow RT mate?") whereby the losing side have to do twice the amout of repetition of sit-ups, push-ups etc.
What was most encouraging is that more than half (I would say majority) of the people actually take the training quite seriously. I mean, it's not easy to get 30 year olds like me to count out the timing when we're doing flutter kicks and burpees, but we did. Of course there are those slackers that are here just to pass time, who find every opportunity to skip the exercises and only walked 2 km out of 3 for the run.
Sound like a typical secondary school actually....
That's not all. From the PT sessions, I actually learn quite a bit (warm up and cool down routines, sequence of exercises, 'lesson plan' for PTs) that will prove useful when I take my NCC cadets for PT sessions. :)
I failed because of 3 seconds in my 2.4 run. After 3 weeks and 6 sessions, I passed and even got a silver!
Moral of the story? CPT Guay was fucking too lazy to run regularly, and have to depend of 'regimentation and routine' to get him to train, when he could have done it easily at his own pace. So sad...
My 500+ days of accident free record smashed by a red Latio...
Yup, she jammed brake suddenly, I braked but front locked, skidded then gently knocked onto the rear bumper. I fell and thank goodness there's isn't a trailer/van/lorry to run me over.
I'm basically unhurt and so is my bike except for some paint scratches and bent clutch lever. But this is what happened to the car's bumper.
This just spoils the whole day. Now I have to pay for that bumper! Drats....
Redang. It got famous (for me) after that chinese movie Summer Holiday (Xia Re Mo Mo Cha - starring Sammi Cheng and Ren Xian Qi). Some say the water was much clearer than Tioman (which I've been to). Others say it's not commercialised yet, hence more attractive too.
Right. But 1 thing for sure, it is more inaccessible than Tioman (from Singapore, at least). Located near the coast off Terengganu, it's a torture to take the cheapo coach-ferry way. Hence we opted to fly there and to do that, we have to stay in Berjaya resorts.
The holiday got off to quite a bad start, because while waiting for the plane to arrive on 21 Jun at Seletar airport, we were then informed that the flight is cancelled due to technical issues. So we lost 1 day in our short little honeymoon...
Hence we only manage to fly on 22 Jun, the next day. It was a 4 prop plane that can carry about 30 passengers. Although it's even lower standard than budget airlines, most will agree it's infinitely more comfortable than an 8 hour coach ride. 1.5 hours later, we landed in Redang.
"Your flight to paradise"...what an inappropriate slogan for an airline. Hmm...I only want to go Redang, not paradise...yet!
So once we check in, naturally we want to walk around the island and check out the life there. Only to realise there isn't much life. Or rather, there are no established roads on Redang yet because everyone depends on boat to get around! Thankfully, there's still a few small eating places outside the resort, else we have to settle for the horrendously expensive restaurant in the resort.
First meal in Redang, after walking for 40 mins in the hot sun to realise there's nothing to see by foot. Maggi goreng is my default dish I will order in any Malaysian restaurant.
Well at least the resort have some TV channels. My wife is extremely pleased to find Tom and Jerry showing on Cartoon Network!
So...Redang. Beaches, snorkeling, tourist, blue sea, white sand. You either love it or find it too idyllic to the point of boring.
Er...not much else to report actually. But it's natural for me to compare it with Tioman and personally, I though the water at Tioman is more blue (perhaps the beaches are shallower?). And of course, Tioman has more places to walk and stroll whereas in Redang, you're practically stranded without a boat. And I recall other leisure facilities in Tioman, such as jet ski and pubs etc. Was very disappointed to know that jet ski is not allowed in Redang...
However, there are much more fishes and coral at Redang. One great example is Marine Park, whereby you can see corals and the fishes just 10 metres from the shore.
So verdict? Go Redang if your scuba diving, else Tioman may be a better choice for snorkelling and general water sports.
Reach Jo's place ard 750 am. Met the brothers (Xueming, Alex, Owls and Charpin) and all set to go!
The sisters. And the brothers helping me to sing 4 songs... The picture doesn't show how hot and sweaty we were....
"finally found what I'm looking for...'
Offered joss sticks to the ancestors, followed by the tea ceremony.
We were in turn given tea by Jo's sister. Well actually Coka Cola.... :)
And then it's off to my place!
Ate dumplings and other sweet stuff. Followed by tea ceremony again. This time round, there are much more relatives (at least 10 pairs).
Then it's off to the hotel for the solemnisation at night!
It was all plain sailing until 6 pm, where suddenly I find myself rushing around and settling 'stuff', such as wine, sound system, video etc. On hindsight, maybe should have push the ceremony to 7:30?
But anyway, at 7:05 pm, the bride and her father walked in.
With her precious daughter in tow, he handed her to me reluctantly...
The vows, the exchange of rings, the kiss, the signing of papers...
and we're officially husband and wife!
To..er...spice things up, I decided to perform some songs with my aeoband. It was far from perfect but it's the thought that counts, RIGHT!
I'm glad that some of my treasured friends are able to my wedding. My JC mates and RSAF CPT(NS), and people from GENUS as well as current colleagues from Kranji Sec. Thanks guys!
I thought I would be spared of this. But the ex-AEOs still hold this tradition dearly... Within a minute of finishing the drink, my head starts to swim...
The dinner ended early (as planned, around 915 pm) and the next day, we'll fly off to Redang!
Epilogue
The BLARDY plane was cancelled on Sunday due to 'technical' issues...so in the end, we have to catch a make-up flight the next day, shortening our holiday by 1 day....
And we bought, or rather paid a deposit for our new apartment.
Walking distance to AMK mrt. Although it's a corridor unit and not what you'll call spacious, it's well kept with quiet neighbours. And frankly how much space does 2 people need?
9 more days...
Borrowed soft toys from my school to decorate my friend's tables. Using my birthday gift to Jo for my ALOC and HCJC friends.
8 more days...
and I'm scouting for renovation ideas at Ikea. Realise it can be cheap to do a house, if you don't want anything built-in or customised.
7 days to go...
Managed to borrow a ukulele for table decoration of the GENUS table. Thanks Alex!
Rehearse the songs with FHM and Charp. Technically, aeoband's first public performance! Picture shows a 'vetting' by Charp's mum...
Went to the hotel to check out the sound system too. All seems good to go.
6 days left...
Scouting for ideas again but this time at Ikea Tampiness, with Jo. Should we go
simple - just buy furniture and touch up some areas
DIY design - design our own flat, redo it to our taste
Get a interior designer
5 more days...
And I'm freaking gonna stay in SISPEC for NCC Specialist Course....zzz....
4 more days
And I've completed the video montage.
3 days to go...
We collected the certificate from ROM. Bought bubble guns for the bride march in.
2 more days...
And we collected the wedding gown and tuxedo.
1 more freaking day!!!!!
Look what my form class gave to me!
Collected the Beetle. And caught butterflies in stomachs....
and tomorrow's gonna be a new beginning for the rest of our lives.
This post will be updated and push to the first post when updates happen. Last update: 07 Jun 2009.
08 Feb 2009
Parents met, discussed customary details and firm up the date: 20 June 2009.
14 Feb 2009
Kind of decided on Aloha Chalet wedding (bungalow with lawn). Met Uncle Sam of the bride's family to er...do a reality check on our 'planning'. Then went to recce Aloha Changi and liked the place. Emailed Aloha for booking.
15 Feb 2009
Went to 'bridal exhibition' in Suntec and it's only 1 freaking shop! And it's the shop in Ang Mo Kio called Seletar Broadway. Anyway, kind of like what they give us and because of their experience and proximity to bride's place, we took the package ($3188). Paid $2000 for deposit.
Went shopping for wedding bands and found nothing to our liking (she don't like gold). Instead, bought 'couple rings' made of 'wolfram', which is actually tungsten steel.
16 Feb 2009
Aloha replied saying they do not accept wedding during school holidays and public holidays. Tried to reason with them but to no avail. WTF!
Next alternative: poolside wedding. Places such as CSC club, Chevron, hotels...
21 Feb 2009
Make-up trial and gown selection at bridal studio. Spent 3 hrs there but wasn't tired at all.
Then we went to recce Mercure Roxy Hotel and Water Cross (Pasir Ris Park) for wedding location. Coincidentally, there's a wedding at Roxy on that day. Jo immediately like the setting at Roxy :).
25 Feb 2009
Went to Roxy to book the venue. Decided on buffet dinner as high tea menu looks bleah and lunch is too rush. Paid $800 for deposit.
28 Feb 2009
Met up with the rental company to place deposit for my wedding car - a Volkswagen New Beetle. Why Beetle? Because my wife likes it. Thank goodness she didn't take a like to Lambos or Ferraris! Deposit - $150.
Was gonna go to NATAS fair but heard it was very crowded. Decided to go straight to Berjaya office in Tanjong Pagar. Booked a 4 day Redang trip by air, embarking the next day after the wedding! Paid $1093.
01 Mar 2009
Bought white shirt for my wedding shoot. Did a recce on possible photoshoot places, as we can use up to 3 locations:
1. East Coast or Sentosa beach (sunset?)
- no photos yet!! -
2. City/Victoria concert hall area
3. Photoshoot on motorcycle. Need a road that is quite secluded (not gonna wear helmet!), has some sort of ok backdrop. This is a videocapture at Marina South pier
02 Mar 2009
Invited the solemniser. The same one in Swee Kiat and Mingshi wedding (the gentleman standing in the right corner).
Bought square, dark rim glasses for 'nerdy' teacher look. Didn't turn out well... But at least I know my wife's nurse look will be hot!
21 Mar 2009
Actual day of photoshoot. Arrived at bridal studio at 920, only to find it locked! Manage to enter at 0940. Bad start for the day?
Stages of make up and photo. Didn't take much pics because was busy posing and changing.
Ist costume of the day - ethnic Japanese:
Then, the evening gown:
And of course, the wedding gown and tuxedo:
The outdoor shoot is suppose to follow next but then it rained...sigh...
No choice, we gotta continue the shoot tomorrow.
22 Mar 2009
Weather started out fine. Reach the first place - Seletar Camp to use some old, moudly and dilapitated buildings as backdrop. Not bad. No photos.
Then proceeded to a very ulu road along Tampiness, where we did the 'bride and groom on moving motorcycle' shots. Quite tiring, as I have to repeat the motion many times. And again, no photo except for this very blur shot due to my camera lens fogging up...
The bride (known to be anti-camera) has to endure 3 hours of outdoor shots till she is a bit fuming. And when we got to Changi Broadwalk for the final shoot, she kinda reach her boiling point. Added to the fact that she is not known to 'suppress' herself in such situations...
But luckily, she did not let fly her fury at me or the photographer, and we ended the shoot at around 2 pm. Whew..... Now you know why I did not have the chance to take any photos...
26 Mar 2009
Wedding bears (for Beetle?) arrived from Great Britain. Cost me $60 but it's still cheaper than the $99 price tag from the shops in Singapore!
02 Apr 09
Went to bridal studio to take a look at the photos. But before that, the sales girl was explaining all the various different albums and showing us sample that is in addition to the one we have in our package. We were both thinking: no need lah....
Then the photos were shown, some 140+. After a first round selection, left with 81 photos. The photos were pretty well taken and I could tell even Jo quite like them (despite almost losing her temper during the photoshoot). Then the boss came, and calculated the cost of an extra album plus inclusion of all 81 photos (original package comes with free 30 photos only). It worked out to be around $4000!
And so, I began to reselect those that we have chosen in the first round. It was not an easy task to keep to the 30 photos limit. While I was choosing, the salesgirl and boss was busy psycho-ing us, using phrases like "these photos are very well taken! It's a waste not to include. Take a look again lah! These photos can be used to form a storyline" and etc.
They were very insistent and in the end, we relented when the boss gave us more perks to the package (free this, upgrade this, upgrade that...). So...I paid $3983 extra so that all 81 photos will be included in not one but two photo albums. I have no sample but only this, which will be used for the invitation card!
02 May 09
Did the editing and finally agreed on the design for the wedding invitation cards. It will be a postcard design and here are the front and back:
06 May 09
This is the money box and 'ribbons' made by Jo's friend Hui Zhu.
Also kinda finalised the list of songs to be played.
Songlist Johann Pachelbel - Kanon in D Bach - Air on a G string Bach - Ave maria Bangles - Eternal Flame Beatles - Got To Get You Into My Life Bee Gees - First of May CaiLiLian - Guan Huai Fang Shi Carpenters - Close to you Carpenters - What the world needs now Carpenters - Yesterday once more Chicago - If You Leave Me Now Chris DeBurgh - The Lady In Red Christina Aguilera - Beautiful Ocean Deep - Cliff Richard Cranberries - Dreams Do As Infinity - Yesterday and today Elvis Costello - She Everly Brothers - All I have to do is dream Faith Hill - There You'll Be Faye Wong - Ni Kuai Le (Sou Yi Wo Kuai Le) Nobuo Uematsu - Eyes on Me Shiro Hamaguchi & Seiji Honda - Tifa's Theme Nobuo Uematsu - Aerith's Theme (Orchestrated Version) Nobuo Uematsu - Theme of Love Emriko - Melodies of life Final Fantasy X - Suteki Da Ne (Orchestrated) Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight Frankie Valli - My Eyes Adored You Frankie Valli & The Four Seaso - Can't Take y Eyes Off You Huang Jia Hui - Yi Ren Yi Ban Jay Chou - Jian dan ai Justice Files - Close to you Kevin Kern - Sundial Dreams Kiroro - Mirai e Layla Kaylif - Shakespeare In Love (Radio Mix Leslie Chueng - Chase Louis Armstrong - Dream a little dream Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzg - Dream A Little Dream Of Me Martina Mcbride - I Love You. Minnie Ripperton - Loving You Misia - Everything Nancy Sinatra - Something Stupid Pearl Jam - Last Kiss Ray Charles - Georgia on my mind Richard Clayderman - Coup de coeur Rufus Wainwright - Hallelujah Selena - Dreaming of you S.E.N.S. - Forbidden Love-piano Shakin Stevens - Because I love you Lin Xiao Pei - Xin Dong Shunzi - Xie Yi Shou Ge Southern Sons - You Were There Collin Raye - Love Me Tao Zhe - Ai hen jian dan Teresa Deng - Wo Zhi Zai Hu Ni Theme - Doraemon Jung Ill Young - Reason- Fall Tale Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You Unknown - Fly me to the moon utada hikaru - first love Van Morrison - Dancing In The Moonlight Vanessa Mae - One Moment In Time Various - What will I do Wes Montgomery - Fly Me To The Moon William So & Kit Chan - Ai De Zheng Hao Wu Bai - ai ni yi wan nian YukoYamaguchi - Believe
13 May 09
Arrival of the wedding invitation cards. Cost: $100 for 100 pieces. Got the contact from my colleague, Benny. Tks!
27 May 2009
The brothers and sisters met at Cafe Cartel in Junction 8 for the first time. Nothing much except that THE FOOD SUCKS!
30 May 2009
Gave out the invitation today to my relatives when all of them met at my father's elder sister place to celebrate my cousin's baby shower. Then proceeded to CFA to finish up the rest of the invites.
07 Jun 09
Gou Da Li - supposedly the tradtional chinese wedding proposal or matchmaking thingy. This is my mei po aka my mom.
Yup, the basket of oranges, pig's trotters etc are secured by elastic nylon webbing on the outside of my bike.
