Monday, November 27, 2006
Yeah, coming home totally drenched from the rain (at 10:45pm!), I was freezing cold and hungry cos I thought I didn't need dinner today. But all that's settled with a nice warm shower and some sushi I found in the fridge.So for the first time since I took over this room, I am sleeping without the aircon tonight. It's nice, listening to the rain fall, going tap tap tapping on the parapet, all these while the chilly breeze fill the room. Like what vic would say, shiokadoos.And I finally found my Krisflyer card in the mailbox. So its yeeeeaaah, time to start chalking up some serious mileage points.Gnite yall.
nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:29 PM
I guess I can never keep track of the endless reasons for missing my grandma, for there are too many. It seems that thinking of her has permeated to become part of my day that I cannot refuse, and I will never refuse cos that's when she is most kept alive in my memory.I miss her kindess, such loving kindness that I don't find in anyone anymore. Somehow it hit me, all over again yesterday, that I've lost her for good. That her selfless love is something I will not experience ever again. The pain, my readers, is excruciating.Grandma's place of rest is really nice now - manicured carpet grass, and, with not one but six bouquet of flowers every sunday when we visit her grave - a testament of our love for her because of her love for us. Besides that, her tribute table at home is largely done, cascading with photos of fond memories and items she kept dearly.I am tempted to publish these photos but I guess I shall keep them private, something my family can hold close, as we had struggled and always will struggle, to cope with her passing.Somehow, three months have almost passed but her last few hours continue to grip me. Not because I was losing her, but because it was a moment of transformation, and a catharsis of sorts for us. For the first time I saw Gong Gong hold onto her hand in her last moments (the first time in many decades I am sure), and I noticed how tighly he held her hand within, almost knowing it was the last goodbye, and he did all these holding back tears he rarely shed. For the first time, so many of my family member came to faith. And for the first time, Gong Gong bought roses for my grandma, every week since her passing, ten stalks no less.I digress.But yes, I miss her so. Still do. Always will.
nimgnoy let the night fall at 12:35 PM
Thursday, November 23, 2006
I wonder if reading readings can be hardly be considered as studying, but this is apparently what I am trying to do now in an attempt to cover ground that I've lost through a semester of slackadoodledoo.Yes, I am back in the library, yet again. I simply can't start my day without blogging little nuggets here and there and everywhere and chicken macnugget.Jess' 22nd birthday just went by and I really owe her a nice collage on my blog. But I am glad she's fine (you're fine right, jess?) after that short call over to Melbourne, which obviously brings back lovely memories of a summer of decadence spent on fields of lavender. Anyway, Jesso's graduating, like finally, and I can't wait to see my pseudo Asha Gill in december.Did you know that I actually thought Jess was a Punjab when I first saw her in NJ? Seriously. And having one (satu) punjab friend in primary school, I confidently and very cockily went up to her on the first day after first-three-months and asked her, "Do you know Vimaljit?"She must have went wtf or something. Okay. I then walked away sore and loserish, contemplating if she thought I was picking her up - with the world's worst pick up line. Do you know Vimaljit? Seriously.Okay, little nuggets of how our friendship started on a rather embarrassing note, but blossomed rather thrivingly into what we have today. Sorta like those unkept and overgrown bushes which can't seem to stop growing.Oh, the photo above is of no relevance. That was on the flightback from Brisbane, when I had seats A, B and C all to myself cos the Krisworld was down on on seats B and C and game freaks like Vic and Junhan had to relocate down the row.And I had ALL the SIA pillows for myself. Hahahahaha.Okay byebye. nimgnoy let the night fall at 8:51 AM
Monday, November 20, 2006
I just switched the tv off after catching a glimpse of Barry Manilow's Las Vegas concert on Central. And please, I am not his fan or ever will be. Barry Manilow appeared on tv as a product of channel surfing after the unexpected crowning of Danielle as America's Next Top Model.Back to Barry (who really looks like Clay Aiken in 30 years' time) was seriously strutting his stuff to a sold out concert. But he's disgusting lah, he really should act his age and not rekindle youth that has obviously gone by. He was in a red (bright chilli padi red if I must add) blazer. And what's that material that's shiny and is really smooth? Yep, that's it. I thought the last I saw of red blazers were njc's.Anyway, this large B-stage descends lo and behold from the heavens and the crowd screams for the great ol Barry. He ascends and these female dancers starts caressing and grinding him. Seriously. Se-ri-ous-ly. Its like imagining your parents having sex. Its like, eeeeee. The audience goes wild. They're sick too. They looked like super-hyperly excited kids watching Hi-5 in concert.Then again, this seems like a stark reminder of how Mariah would potentially turn out to be and how I would almost be reduced to a bouncing fanatic idiot when I see her (even though she's 50 and has boobies overflowing but thinks she's still 20).Barry sucks. And so does the girl who ran towards the library exit (like 10m away) just because the swing doors were closing and she didn't wanted to waste her precious energy pushing it open again so the extra energy can be retained to read more meaningless engine notes she was holding (not aware that the extra energy had already been used up during the run. hur hur).And so does this other cheenapok who was at the bus stop, who didn't shave and yet wore a sleeveless top. Seriously I am not against girls who do not shave (but really you should), however, it is just simple courtesy to not expose your little friends.All of the above seem to display a lack of self-awareness that is really uncalled for. But the engine notes and the cheenapok face seemed to justify their actions pretty well. Period.And I have become an elite uncaring face amongst more elite uncaring faces.Brr. I want to get these two weeks over and done with cos I suspect my mind's in San Francisco already.
nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:18 PM
So it's goodbye to the deck and eight months of eating at God-knows-where on campus.Again, we are forced to move on, forcefully if necessary to a new place, a new deck, a new time.What I'll miss from The Deck is almost definitely the iced-tea, which I am not too concerned cos they'll be back at the new Deck. Char Kway Teow's auntie will be gone though, and I guess it's her jovial and hearty laughter that I'll look back as a fond memory.To many Arts students (and by that extent I do not mean all), The Deck represents a place to chill, a place to see and be seen. Its goes beyond the gastronomical gratification and fulfills very much a social function in our lives, where new friends are made and existing ones strengthened.While I do not deny that the new Deck can too, accomplish the abovementioned role, the spatial entity will be very much different. And we cannot deny what "place" does to our memory, for they form the backbone or the setting to which memories are made. The space of the new Deck may be the same, but it is the place that is forever changed.In this day and age where info-comm technologies seem to be propelling forward in rendering the concept of space obselete, somethings do not change. The spatial has to remain relevent somehow, the spatial entity will resist - that is what the human hearts are made for and made to be. nimgnoy let the night fall at 8:35 AM
Friday, November 17, 2006
Sights, sounds, nuggets and trivia of President Bush's Speech at NUSThe Set Up:- The US Presidential motorcade included 15 huge black vehicles, escorted by the police no less and always followed by a chopper overhead
- Only the first floor of the UCC was used, second and third levels were closed and only accessible to approximately 6 US snipers
- Some snipers were also stationed on the rooftops of the Engineering Block opposite, and the HDB blocks across the road
- The stage set up (really horrible I must exclaim) was done so that people knew that President Bush "was in Singapore"
- I am just thinking of how the world now thinks that everyone in Singapore lives in Peranakan houses cos (I am not sure if you can see this from the tv) he was standing in front of a facade of a Peranakan house. Why not do a facade of a HDB void deck? Thats definitely Singapore.
- The rostrum used is the President's rostrum, except that the familiar circular seal was covered with a Singapore flag. (See photo below)
- Around his rostrum, there were lots of plants, but what you didn't notice was how bullet proof metal plates formed the backing for these potted plants, so President Bush is quite safe from angular attacks (I think)
- The song you hear at the end of the speech (again, I am not sure you it was caught on tv), sounded like some Indonesian instrumental thing, which again, totally wasn't Singapore, but a source told me they wanted something distinctively "Asian".
The Proceedings:
- President Bush did not alight at the main front porch of the UCC, instead he swung round into the carpark which lead him directly to the backstage, just like what PM Lee does every National Day Rally.
- His main entourage, entered and exited only through the backstage, meaning they did not step foot into the main UCC foyer at all.
- 5 minutes before the speech, everyone fell silent as at least 30 members of his entourage, including First Lady Bush made their way from the backstage out to the front stalls and seated together with SM Goh. A loud applause was accorded to Laura when she emerged from backstage.
- His entourage of official press and photographers entered from the side door.
- The main boo-boo of the day: The students were seated in the first 10 rows or so and VIPs and guests sat the the next 10 rows. When President Bush walked out from backstage to the podium, all of the VIPs and guests stood (almost as if they were informed to do so, or maybe its the protocol), but the poor students in front unfortunately did not see that and didn't stand up for a good 10 seconds until they somehow realized so. I hope that didn't go into the tapes.
- President Bush ended his speech with "God Bless Singapore", which sounded weird, but nice to hear. He then proceeded downstage to shake hands and gladly obliged for phototaking. I was stationed right at the front so he was face to face with me when he walked past! (see photo below) Yes, the perks of the job.
- Within 5 minutes after President Bush left, a huge box was wheeled on stage, where the offcial rostrum was packed off to the next destination.
Trivia and all other nonsense:
- Everyone in the delegation wore a lanyard which has "POTUS - Singapore 2006" all around it, and we were all trying to figure what organization POTUS was.
- A lady from the White House told me that we have a "very nice university"
- The secret service agents all looked alike and they were surprizingly friendly, always smiling and unlike the stereotypical imaginings we have of a hostile and cold front.
- We took a photo with the Secret Service agent in-charge of the President's Asian tour! Gotta wait for my friend to send us the pics though.
- President Bush memorizes or perhaps improvises his speeches. He does not read off any prompters and only referred to the paper on the rostrum once in a while!
- This is the first time I've seen so many cameras and video cameras gathered in the UCC Hall.
- POTUS is the acronym for President of the United States.
Yes, that's all I can rattle off at the moment. It was cool just to see and immerse oneself within such security and hype, it was like The West Wing before my eyes. For one hour yesterday, the world was with the UCC, and for that single hour, UCC became the world.
New photo added:
Now see how ugly the stage set was. Photo courtesy of Yvonne hohoho.
nimgnoy let the night fall at 12:36 PM
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Hello mugging organisms, I am coming to you 'LIVE' from the central library where I have resided for the past few hours. And very miraculously, I have took two very fulfilling naps. And when I mean naps, I mean seriously serious napping. Those kind where you fall asleep, dream, then wake up all over again. I am getting too comfortable here, apparently.As you probably might (or might know know), President Bush's gonna deliver an address on campus, and I'm quite excited that I am working for it. Common now, 'excited'? Is that all your proficiency in the English language can conjure up, ex-ci-ted? Okay I feel delighted, eager, aflamed, juiced up and very much jumpy (thesaurus.com, 2006) about working for the event.I have no idea how I am going to pass my Physics test tomorrow, which is very disheartening, but nonetheless reaffirming my passion and belonging to the arts and humanities.The calling of the humanities is to make us truly human in the best sense of the word. - J Irwin Miller
nimgnoy let the night fall at 6:17 PM
Thursday, November 09, 2006
I am writing in elation cos both my essay papers for my Cities and Cultural Landscapes modules have earned a very pleasing grade of A. Particularly satisfied with my Cultural Landscapes paper because it's my very first level 3000 module I am attempting.I wouldn't say I've put in a lot of effort in these essays (what's too much or too little effort anyway), but I am glad the hours spent in the library conceptualising and writing the essay paid off (not forgetting the 8pm - 6am intensive session at the Mac at Ridout Tea Garden). And not to mention the huge stack of references and literature that goes into the making of each essay.Is it just me, or is every undergraduate's most prized possession each sem the essay paper he/she writes? It's telling, when you see how 9 sheets of paper are treated with the utmost care and respect, reading and re-reading each line to make sure they are coherent, making sure that the paper is always crisp and not folded in any way.Then, what seems the world to you for that particular semester starts to fade as the weeks pass, and the semester gone by and eventually your emergence into the workforce.An essay would then merely become a happy memory of the long hours slogged, and just another 9 sheets of paper caught in between a stack of academic papers accumulated on a random shelf.
nimgnoy let the night fall at 12:39 PM
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Here you go. Memories from Phi Phi Island. Part 1.
nimgnoy let the night fall at 2:19 AM
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
So, after SSO's silver screen spectacular on thursday and the weekend getaway to Phiphi, I'm finally back to face what seems to be the most dreaded period of every academic semester.Phiphi was great fun, as it was supposed to be, photos in the next entry I hope. Nothing like the sun, sand and sea. Cliche, but hey, its been tested and proven to satisfy each time. It's always great to be able to detach oneself from the humdrums of city life to immerse in nature.I was reading the inflight magazine which did a feature on a super-exclusive tree top villa tucked in a secluded jungle in Thailand, managed by Four Seasons no less. That brings a whole new meaning to tree house living. Visit http://www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle/ for more details.* *Grandma's personal belongings have largely been sorted out. I took home one of her oriental looking suits she made all by herself. I really have no idea whats the proper name for this fashion, but it's one of those with a nice chinese collar complete with butterfly knots and flowy pants.But one thing we have left relatively untouched is her bed (the bedsheets still changed weekly of course). Still left in its place, I can still recall the last time she rested on it, just before we decided to ward her in NUH. That was the last day she ever spent at home.I am sure my aunts, mom, cousins, and definitely myself had lovely memories of that bed. It was a place we snuggled up with grandma, and I am not ashamed to say that, at 22, its something I love to do. I remember taking naps beside her, holding her hand as she rested during the period she was undergoing chemotheraphy. And how when she woke up, she would quietly leave for the living room, careful not to disturb my sleep. Always.My cousins loved her room, it was indeed a place we felt so at home. Not only because it was always windy, but I suspect it was my grandma's presence that made the room all that special for us.Today, I took a lazy nap on grandma's bed. I was tired but found it initally hard to sleep. And its not hard to understand why. It was such a familiar feeling to lie there, but yet the circumstances are vastly different now. No hand to reach out to hold onto, no warmth of grandma to feel at ease with.I still miss her.But her legacy lives on, definitely. And I live each day so proud to be her grandson, so proud to be part of the family she brought up, so proud to be doused in her love, so proud I can call her mine.
nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:01 PM
