the paper chase

if you think that singaporeans are getting more educated and more informed about current affairs, you're probably right..afterall, there is a new sort of paper chase in town and everyone is eligible for it; young and old, smart and not-so-smart, rich and bankrupt, literate and illiterate (yep, that's correct folks..you can now chase paper even if you cannot read or write! wait..make that, even if you cannot read AND write!). this is the "free newspaper" chase (the essential thing here is not so much that it is a "paper chase" but that it is free. thus explaining the slack criteria for "admission")!

in the mornings as i walk up tanjong pagar mrt station to get to the surface, i always watch with amusement as executives in nice office wear and suits mix with the aunties and uncles chasing after the "TODAY" and "My Paper" distributors! just stand back and watch, it is really quite funny - especially the parts when the distributors go back for a "top up" and a whole gang of executives follow in pursuit to the "top up" area (putting the pied piper of hamelin to shame in the process)! but that is the only funny bit about this chase..the sad truth is, though highly educated and some highly paid, these people are mostly not so highly courteous! from the way they grab the papers from the distributors to the way they give demanding stares to get the papers and after all that, not a word of "thank you" or a smile..it is quite a disgrace..and how about those who take more than one copy? i mean, honestly, do you think you become more knowledgeable when you read more copies of the same news from the same paper? maybe that's why it is called "current" affairs, you read it once, the paper become giam chai and the information within disintegrates together with the quality of the paper, so must read a brand new copy to stay "current"! oh yeah, and not forgetting those people-who-make-full-use-of-time, the mrt can be packed to the brim and everyone else is squeezing..but these wonderful people-who-make-full-use-of-time will somehow still have acres of space around them to keep their newspapers wide open, oblivious to the chaos around them!

it is really a shame that as people become more educated, they demand more of others but they forget to give just a little bit back..even something as simple as courtesy. i don't want to sound like i am running a courtesy campaign but the sad fact of the matter is singaporeans are becoming habitually discourteous..meaning a lot of them behave like that, without the intention to actually project themselves that way. in fact, i know of lots of people who are genuinely nice but when put in a "paper chase" situation, they become just like any other ugly singaporean.

coincidentally, some smartie decided to name one of these free newspapers "My Paper" - not his, not hers, not yours..but my, MY MY MY!

Give me My Paper, TODAY, NOW*!

*"NOW", a new free publication by addy for the ugly singaporeans who cannot wait to get their hands on the very latest news, not yesterday's, not this morning's, not even the second that just passed but NOW! Now, is that current or what!

invasion of privacy

it never ceases to amaze me the people who have set foot onto this blog i call, "my blog" (yeah "like..duh!" rite? i thought so too!). the funny thing is, it never quite bothered me if the (few) people who have had the privilege to be damned by me here are actually part of my audience. but if they are, i hope they feel real good about themselves because like i said, they are a real rare breed! this can be seen as an act of real boldness or utter stupidity and truth be told, if i was on the other side of the fence i'd tell myself (which wouldn't really be me because i would have been on the other side of the fence remember?) "adrian your honest and outspoken entries are really bold but reeks of utter stupidity!" which does not really make incredible sense, but then i am not on the other side of the fence now am i? ;)

but whether it is audacity or plain silliness, it is just me to be upfront with my feelings and thoughts. it may ruffle a few feathers sometimes, create a little confusion other times and - if it works in your favour - even make your day..the bottom line is at least you know that whatever i say is really what i am thinking and not for some hidden agenda (or at least, if it was, you wouldn't think of it that way)! if i said that i was absolutely pissed off with someone, you'd know i was really absolutely pissed off with someone. if i said that i found satisfaction in something, you'd know i had really found satisfaction in something. if i said that i met a real cute girl at work whom i asked out for dinner, you'd know i had really met a real cute girl at work whom i asked out for dinner..AND you should also kindly remind me to remove that post so that i do not get into any "confrontations" which may result in further "complications"! :P

so if you are still new to my humble blog, please don't feel like you are invading my space (it actually belongs to blogger.com) or my privacy..because what you read here are things i willingly share and/or want to let out of my system. but if at any time you feel insulted or suddenly realised midway through that you have been anointed one of the "privileged few", please do click that cute little "x" on your top right hand corner and stop reading. if you do choose to carry on, it is at your own discretion and you should do so in a calm and orderly manner. any form of retaliation may result in a report made against you for harassment (don't even ask! it makes the statement sound more important like that!), invasion of privacy and for being such a kaypo!

7 year itch

i know this sounds defensive..lots of you will question if the lack of blog entries recently is due to excessive paktoring..honestly, i don't know where you guys (those who think that way at least) get such incredulous ideas but i have to say that that is almost true! :P mostly i have been just lazy about it..i have lots of things to say and lots of stories to share but not so lots of energy. yep, it sounds like a lame excuse and make no mistake about it, it is!

19 january 2008, saturday
this date was significant for two reasons - 1) it was jay chou's concert (please picture that without making me look/sound like a starstruck schoolgirl..maybe a schoolboy but most definitely not a schoolgirl!) and 2) it has been 7 years since karen and first got together.



given that we did not have the best view in the house, we (aileen, apple (leen's friend), karen, kenneth and i) still had a rocking good time at the concert; singing, jumping and waving our hands along to every song, from the newest to the older ones..and ok, i admit, we did that starstruck schoolgirl/schoolboy thing of agreeing to everything jay said..you know when he goes "are you having fun? (in chinese of course)", we go "yeeeesss! (in chinese also)"..but in defense, what was i to do right? it was between being in agreement or risk being hammered by the throngs of jay chou fans!

now regarding the other part about the 7 years, you do the maths..ok we cheated a bit on that 1.5 years when we were apart but then you know what they say "love is never fair game!"..and we are still very much in love! :)

english..taught by auntie bk

was at burger king having my lunch on new year's eve and i overheard (well, not exactly overheard since they were talking rather loudly and even if i tried not to, i'd still hear them quite clearly!) two aunties' conversation..auntie 1 was lamenting to auntie 2 about her son being taught by a chinese (from china) teacher..

auntie 1: wah..my son's china teacher ar..i tell you damn ploblem ar..everything also call..say my son never do his homework ar blaaah blaah blah blah blah.. (i am not making this up by the way, she really went "blaaah blaah blah blah blah" and the way she said it was damn amusing! but that's not the best part yet..)..most of the time i cannot understand her..she is from beijing la..her engrish ar is damn bad!

when i heard that last bit, my sprite nearly forced its way out of my mouth! i know i am mean but come on, admit it, you laughed too when you read that! what? not even a snigger? or a smile? liar! there are more to that conversation but i shall not type a longwinded post on primary 5 streaming and secondary school choices in my first post of 2008!

anyway,
HAPPYNEWYEAR
to one and all!

The National Sprinter

there are constant reports of singapore being short of sporting talent to compete at olympics level and about how singaporeans are overly obsessed with academic and career achievements that they do not see sports as a career. on both counts, i beg to differ. firstly, singaporeans are not overly obsessed with academic and career achievements! yep, you saw that right. singaporeans are not overly obsessed with academic and career achievements! (repeated in bold just so that you would stop rubbing your eyes and rereading the previous line!) in fact, all singaporeans are guilty of, is being too obedient.

people tell us don't litter (or they will hit you with a fine of $1000, present you a nice shiny yellow bib on your first day of (corrective) work and if they are in the mood, even throw in a short jail term as a bonus), we don't litter. just like that, no questions asked. people say they help you manage your cannot profit finances (or you may end up with nothing left for your retirement or in a worst case scenario die without a coffin and either way you don't really have a choice!), we let them manage our cannot profit finances. just like that, we don't even ask what are the interest rates like or "can grow or not?"! which part of cannot profit finances don't you understand? still grow simi! go get an education! and so we go get an education which leads to a higher education which leads to a job which leads to a career which leads to retirement which leads to us finally being able to access our cannot profit finances (profits sold separately). sports? well, teacher always say "don't play so much. wait ball hit your head become stupid!".

on the other hand, our lack of "talented" sportspeople may just be down to lousy scouting. maybe they are just not looking in the right places! the common saying is that we need to develop our sportsmen and women from young. but then, aren't most singaporean kids these days sent for piano, ballet and poetry classes from young? and look how many world renown pianists, ballerinas or poets we have? the closest i can think of is vanessa mae, the famous violin player but even she is "imported"!

so i determine that it is all a matter of psychology and context. it does not matter where you are born or how young or old you pick up a sport. all you need is a certain trigger and a new sporting sensation is born. in simple terms, it's all about mindset and what tempts the mind most. based on that, you set the perfect environment.

need a national sprinter to break the world record faster than marion jones can gulp down her steroids? don't go looking in schools or stadiums or sports clubs! just take a walk to the bus stop during peak hours! there, you will see all of singapore's sprinting talents in their full glory! no matter how impossibly faraway they seem from the bus, next thing you know they are on it! like i said, all it needs is a certain trigger, in this case, the bus. the singapore sports council should collaborate with sbs for this sprint project. singapore will be so spoilt for choice we may have to send in three sprint teams to compete - singapore, temasek and raffles city!

how about hurdles? smrt will solve that one for you! how many times do we see people leaping up stairs 2 or 3 at a time, get on the platform and leap into the trains just before the doors close?

or darts? well, our singapore team can do without hands and still thrash the opponents hands down (pardon the pun). just gather a group of uncles, put the darts in their mouths and watch them spit it out! what about china you ask (that country of renown spitters)? well, they are nowhere near our uncles! singaporean uncles aim before they spit (if not kenna caught by police!), china people anyhow spit!

there are many other scouting grounds unexplored by the singapore sports council and so many untapped talents roaming the streets waiting to be picked up (if they don't get on the bus before you get to them!). who says singapore has no talent? i get uncle to spit at you ar!