where thoughts materialise.

So we're into the sixth version of my blog after the last version hung around for a year or so.

Now, a bit of info on this image. This photo was taken one lovely spring afternoon, featuring the iconic Old Well from the UNC Chapel Hill campus. I would like to think of this image as a tribute to my time in UNC Chapel Hill, the awesome friends I made and the memories I now hold dear.

A milestone in my life indeed.

I've dropped the tagboard cos its useless and taking eons to load. But thanks to Angela who helped me set it up, I still do like and will miss the pink interface.

So yeah, it's the sixth one you fellas!

Yours.

27 April 2008

you know you miss my older entries

October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008

Friday, August 24, 2007

So what we did last Friday was that we hired a whole bum boat all to ourselves, invited a few others to join in the fun and had a great night out at the fireworks show and then at B/rewerkz.

And here's the photos I so owe everyone.

I believe in the ephemeral and the beauty it brings. I indulge in the transcient bacause I appreciate its worth. It is only because the temporals do not last forever that we cherish it more, and remember it the most.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 1:04 AM

2 comments

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

As an urban geographer, let me induldge in this.

What I've always been thinking about since the new downtown was conceived is the idea of social justice, which I have dealt with in part in my entry on the I/on Orchard development. The challenge, I've always thought, is to make sure that no portion of society is left out - that a development is not class-biased and does not become a site of exclusion for those who cannot afford it.

But my thoughts have somewhat tweaked itself. The idea(l) for an urban development to be class-free will always, sad to say, remain an ideal. Just as the Singapore is a stratified society as all modern capitalistic societies are, developments will be such as well. However, the beauty in my opinion is, the class divide within Singapore is not as bad or wide as some might make them up to be and developments with some clever planning can bring these stratas together in an urban party of citizens. And to that extent, I feel the Esplanade has done that resonably well - it is neither a white elephant nor a highly class-biased destination.

So my eyes have been on the Sands development (hereafter MBS), being the major headturner-to-be, sitting on, in my opinion, the most prime piece of land in Singapore.

I feel that one best way to marry classes in a single urban development is to not built a city within a city, meaning a development has to adopt an attitude of creating a connective node through integrating open spaces seamlessly from its architecture. Non-gated. And a waterfront simply makes that job easier since the built environment is provided with a very good reason to simply spill into an expanse of nature.

The idea of piazzas is hence a crucial point of exchange, reconciling citizens from all walks of life. I've seen that for myself in Italy, where piazzas are people magnets of good urban energy. And to make sure such a space attracts a good representation of Singaporeans, the hardware has to be a right balance of landscaping, events and facilities.

When I saw Safdie's thoughts on designing MBS in an exhibition at the National Library, I was glad his vision was sane. He created an Events Piazza, which is the large space with the step-like features towards the water body. Though less impressive than the ones I've seen in Italy, it is nontheless an effort to make MBS more approachable to all.

So I turned my eyes to the S/entosa IR, and I am very glad at what I saw.

Though not much details have been released on the project, the images seem to suggest that it is relatively non-gated with a Festival Walk which acts as a linear piazza in this case.

See how it tries not to build just one imposing ubergrand superstructure? Instead, it is dotted with developments of different scales and a lot of walking space in between. But much remains to be seen for this development lah. I just like how lush the place is designed to be. Tonnes of trees and interweaving water bodies. Very nice.

In conclusion, I do not think that an entirely class-free development can ever be achieved. It is how architects and the management negotiate the use of land to cater to needs of the varying segments of society that is pertinent in developments to come. That, I am sure, can be achieved with creativity and a passion that goes beyond money-making, but to love and serve all.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 12:11 PM

1 comments

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

I need a proper reading lamp.

I do have a table lamp which has been pretty much unused cos my desk is too cluttered with books. I, too, have an ornamental lamp which looks totally sexy but unofrtunately just, yes, ornamental. I have been relying much on my bedside lamp, cos the bed is where I spend most of the time I have at home anyway, but its warm yellowish light aint easy on the eyes.

I digress.

I am reading Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism tonight cos this particular work has been brought up twice in lectures this week, and both these lectures are vastly different mind you. So I had to read this paper myself. Scoured through the library and found it within an anthology on the postmodernism movement. So I am determined not only to read Weber's writing, but also as a personal aim to fully understand what postmodernism is all about. I remember vaguely being introduced to it by Dr Bunnell in my cultural geog module, but I got a feeling there's more to it than what I already know.

So I really need that reading lamp before I can get all of that done.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:33 PM

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Sunday, August 19, 2007

Most of you would probably know why already. Grr.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 1:38 AM

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Remember days of the old Deck where it was always hot and stuffy? But do you also remember the days when everyone sat so closely to each other you're almost forced to be friends with the people at the table next to you?

The new Deck is definitely much airy-er, cooler (in all sense) but the cosyness seems to be lost. But oh well, some things still don't change, like the awesome ice lemon tea (and cheap I must add) and actually all the other familiar stalls which once served us well.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 10:43 PM

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Sometimes, we would stand aside to watch, as it were, this social theatre of life, yet being consumed within it the very same time. We are actors and spectators all at once, for a drama we have no clear idea for whom our roles are played for and by whom they are carved out from. Yet we live our roles cautiously, some carelessly, some with skepticism and (I hope) most with faith.

I do not think we can ever figure life out, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't think about it.

* *

My musings about life and the world we live in somehow stopped since I don't know when. I do not profess to know more about life, and in fact, more questions have surfaced than those answered. I wouldn't like to think that it is a bad thing, for one who is passionate about life knows that knowledge is probably the least important thing we can learn, it is learning about learning that is the greatest deed of all.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:06 AM

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The air stinks of burnt paper tonight and I love vic a lot.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:53 PM

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Okay, as promised. National Day eve started off with early early morning work at the cultural centre, after which some of us went off to I/kea for lunch which was absolutely gratifying. Nothing like a full meal after 5 hours of work with the ever cheery-dynamic-vibrant colleagues of mine.

Then it was S ingfest, which was what I was looking forward all week. It was a lazy, laid back yet electrifying atmosphere at Fort Canning Park as you can see from the photos above. The crowd grew larger and wilder as dusk made way to night.

Top left: Shaggy and his raggae ways, getting everyone on our feets and arms in the air.
And more pictures of the crowd.

Oh man, Cyndi Lauper totally brought the house down. Her set was the best without a doubt. Even at her age, she totally rocked the set effortlessly. Everyone danced and sang along, very very good energy in the air. She sang two songs with Shaggy and that brought what seemed to be an excellent set to greater heights. I totally love her.

Yup, the attendees, Junhan and Jess. Really sorry for those who couldn't come boogie the night away with free beer (thanks to jess' daddy!) and awesome company. Hurhur. Anyway I love my new t-shirt from Pull and Bear, I wore it again today. And also, Fort Canning forms a great backdrop to the music fest, especially with the lights on at night.

After which we left halfway through Pet Shop Boys (not my kind of music), and adjourned to The Screening Room somewhere in chinatown where we had drinks on a roof top bar which was uber cool. Feels like you're tucked in some secret oasis in the midst of such antiquity and tranquility of a historic district.

So the night ended off really well, though Sugar Ray threatened to screw things up, but as Junhan said, he's just being himself - a Californian on drugs. We finished the night at the supper place in the railway station at tg pagar, very malaysian truly asian.

Gnite.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 1:41 AM

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Saturday, August 11, 2007

In case you were wondering why I called Vic's bbq thing party pig, here's why. Party pig is the name of our trusty b rewerkz beer dispenser, really because it looks like a pig. Go ahead, take a closer look, see how we're doing a mean impersonation of party pig in the photo above. And just look at how we're drinking from its mouth which flows of chilled booze when we squeeze its nose. Sweet. I have no idea why mr junhan is smellin' its ass though, still don't quite get it. If its some fetish I swear I am clueless about it.

So there you go, party pig in its little styrofoam home (below) which even comes with its name on it.

* *
I can't wait to post the S ingfest photos up.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 3:05 AM

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Thursday, August 09, 2007

Sometimes I miss her so much, I can't believe she's gone, and for so long.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:39 AM

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Tuesday, August 07, 2007

nimgnoy let the night fall at 12:00 AM

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Saturday, August 04, 2007

Hokay, I've just sent off my last email for the day, I mean night, to the States and I really should be sleeping now.

Sidenote 1: People in the States are really nice to correspond with, they are less formal but more warm and helpful. Either that or I'm just really lucky to have them helping me out with the gargantuan task of selecting my modules, aka courses, there.

Sidenote 2: Corrine M ay's really good. I went an ignorant, and came back a believer.

Sidenote 3: W ireless@sg is slow.

Good night world, this half of it at least.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 12:45 AM

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Friday, August 03, 2007

Seriously, I'm just tired lah.

I'm sitting at O'B/rien's at citylink, watching the people go by, taking in what seems to be the first time I've had time for myself in many weeks. Well, not entirely time for myself lah, I'm sending out emails and bidding on the perpetual problem spewing CORS site, which is by now clogged by freshies furiously trying to outbid me with the measly few hundred points they have. Haha.

Application to Chapel Hill is also giving me quite a ball of a time living in two time zones - I wake up in the morning to correspond with the N U S side and wait till about 9pm before starting my emails and calls to the U N C departments.

So I'm pretty much in limbo now, quite straddled between here and there and in between. Night and day, what's the difference anyway. Last night I took my wallet out and wanted to tap on my house gates! Seriously, everything's getting a little screwed.

I'm looking forward to next week though. S/ingfest! Friends and music and booze, and all the things that make me happy (less the booze i think, but gimme chardonnays anytime).

Junhan sir, I'm quite confirmed for the 8th larr, but 9th prolly can only do half day. But I don't mind buying the 2 day pass.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 2:14 PM

1 comments

I'm quite tempted to go for S ingfest, maybe quite is an understatement. And its really quite cheap for so many acts.

Shirlyn is performing in N U S! 15 Aug at the Central Forum at 8pm. She's gonna do a lunchtime concert thing at the Esplanade on Sept 25, which is free, which is the mid-sem break week, which I'm probably and hopefully overseas.

I'm very tempted to go for S ingfest.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 12:47 AM

1 comments

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Its been too busy a week. And a busier one to come.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 11:53 PM

2 comments