Ritual

Well I have been dodging blogging for some time now. Its a bit difficult to describe this love hate relationship that I have with inmysenses.

On one hand I simply cannot enough of get the sheer bliss of exorcising whatever angst and inner demons that I have suppressed in my life. Yet, I can't bear to sit in front of my computer and perform this ritual. For you entertainment buffs, its like watching GOSSIP GIRL and not wanting the know the ending. On one hand, you want to watch what happens to Serena and our all so innocent Dan, yet you don't really want to see that happy ending. You feelin' me?

Well, like Gossip Girl, I cannot take it no more.The unknown and yet uncontrollable urge to blog has taken over. So here I am.

So, my parents have been gone for more than a week now and I must say solitude is not all such a bad thing. The harsh silence of the house has become a rather sweet melody that I enjoy humming to. Only to be broken by the smokey voices of Mrs Fitzgerald and Mr Sinatra, this is my version of a quantum amount of solace. Well I must say that this hiatus has been good for me to contemplate life in general.

I am gravid with thoughts and ideas. I am smitten by melancholy. I think its high time that I really reconnect with my friends I have met over the years. The Emerald City is a festering ground for failed relationships. Also, I have been thinking of becoming more laid back, I guess articles that quote stress as the major contributor to the common illness, has flash-backed and dawned on me. So here I am trying to me nice and more laid back. Ironically enough, its pretty stressful to change myself. (RAWR)

So now, as my purging is near complete, I guess this parent-less has been nothing short of interesting. Ideas in hand and resolve carelessly left behind, I venture forward to life. Thankfully I got God to help me. Can't see myself venturing into this without some divine intervention.


(In the spirit of Gossip Girl)
XOXO

Blog and Life Resuscitation

Its sad, almost tragic. What am I talking about? The state of my blog of course. I owe its dilapidated state due to the mundane living that I have been experiencing recently. The recent months have been an anti thesis to the stock market. There is no volatility, no highs, no lows, surreal sedentary. Its no wonder that there is nothing to talk about.

Like a black and white film in slow motion. I feel like the only guy standing still in a busy train station while everyone rushes about, doing their daily affairs. (I think I said this before).Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to be emo or feel depress. Its just a salient reflection of what I am feeling now. I am lackadaisical. I am sluggish. I am bored stiff with this Emerald City!

Yet as life continues in cruise control. I can't help but feel a greater appreciation for her nuances, her quietness that paves a way unfamiliar melody,peaceful and calm some thing which has eluded most of us kids for the past 12 years. Like a distant star that appears to blink, its all but visual trickery, like how the star's light emits constantly, so my life sails by steadily. 

It may seem contrary, but come to think of it I am beginning to like this foreign life of mine. No so much for the lack of women but for the lack of personal worries. For example, last week's only worry was, who the hell bought those 4 AK47s at Zouk on Sat. Not really your "bailout" decision/worry. Its great. Like a third person watching the world whizzes by. Like the man enjoying his cup of cappuccino in DeliFrance while watching the busy office people rush by in the rain. How all so fantastic.

But can't wait for the uni holidays, maybe it would inject a little excitement to Ian's consistency. I am still young you know.. resuscitation 

"It'll Be Just As Quiet When I Leave, Like It Was When I First Came Here"

Bonjour Monsieur/ Madam and all you Madamoiselles. So I rolled into a month of French class, and I can't say that I have become those fictitious French lovers. My French does not swoon women, it causes them to fall, and roll in laughter that is. 

Well, I am in one of my melancholic moods once again. Wondering how the pleathora of friendships made in JC are slowly fading into nothing-ness. Friends slowly assimilating themselves into different social networks or continents. Oblivious to their gradual departure.

I seem to be stuck in a silent movie. Where the main character just stands in the middle of a square (or train station) while everyone else is walking along their way, and in fast forward. Well, as I am hit my the on rushing revelation that people move one, let me take this time to tell you me friends that I am truly blessed to meet you. 

So as the credits role and Rachel Yamagata's "quiet" comes to an end. I think my melancholy has once again be kept in check again. But save for the tears and the fact that I still have a cadre of friends. Its all very depressing. Very depressing. 

Adieu

Lamentation

While listening to "season of love", the OST of RENT the musical, I just wondered how pessimistic that song was. As if 525800 mins were all that we really had. I mean can't we sub divide it to to view even those precious seconds? Well maybe the watch was not as complex as it was then. Food for thought.

Well after that rather forgettable lamentation, I wondered how life was a tad bit mundane now. Life in the Emerald City has not been all that exciting. I mean sure, pure regimentation and discipline create predictability and I don't really like surprises. But I want some thing more. Hopefully those French and driving classes would help. Its all rather surreal to me at the moment.

I guess its the transition phase of life. A pity that the girls are not enjoying this phase. We could all use with some 'hang' time. But no, they go on with the usual monotonous cycle of education. Learning more to learn more. wondering about the future and the job prospects. Instead here I am completely clueless as to what I want to do only thinking about the 'now' and not even giving a fleeting thought about the 'future'. The dichotomy is obvious and worst of all, I seem in no hurry to consider the later.

As I finish my glass of dark rum and lime, I think I will reserve those thoughts for another time. No need to rush, its time to take it easy and try to enjoy the Edmerald City as much as I can.


Music of the type:
Artist: Bananarama
Song: Love in the first degree/ Venus

Facebook Memories

Well, even though the medium may change, the effect is still as profound. While I was surfing facebook, I stumbled upon a montage of photos during the AC days. Something that somehow awash my memories of the rolling good times that I had not too long ago. Those images were so recent yet so distant. As though they had happened a decade ago. But well, they are less than half a year old.

That old melancholy rose up again, like a tidal, it fills me up with the excitement that I felt when I was still studying and not wearing green. Its amazing how we don't really miss something till it is not there. How we were all so eager to grow up and 'face' the world only to regret it later and wished that we could reverse the clock and go back to our infancy. The innocence and clueless-ness of adolescence life. Tis, we are now made to face the maturity of our soon to be adulthood. More aware of the situation and more distinctively clear of the material concerns encircling our lives.

I can't help but look back at those JC days with great joy and regret. Joy for all the good times that it had generated, for the great friendship that it had bloomed and all the quirky moments that it ensued. Yet, I am tainted with regret. Perhaps, I could have done more in AC, perhaps, I could have made more friends, Be a better senior? (Nah) and perhaps, I could have made it last longer ( that idea has not left my mind since j2). Well all that said and done, all that I can do now is muster the remainder of my memories and jot them down into this journal of sorts. All I can do is can them in the world wide web. SO that when I am down and alone and feeling blue, there would be a source to remember them. Maybe one day the class of 2aa5/2007 will sit down and laugh back at these times. But till then, as scan the facebook profiles again, I can't help but feel a sense of school patriotism welling inside me. I guess, and I hope that the best is yet to come.


Music for the type:
Tittle: Round About Midnight
Artist: Gotan Projet

Hiatus

Ok, after a very long 4 month hiatus, I think I am back to blogging. I guess, the hectic life of post enlistment and of course the need to remain in contact with JC mates had taken a toll on my online time. But, as I said, I think I am back.

So much things have happened in the last few months, too much in fact to narrate it here on this blog. Instead, lets talk about the greatness of what is going to develop soon. Army has gone into cruise control- the constancy of it is amazing. The need to keep in touch with my friends have not been easy. Its hard to go from seeing people on an everyday basis to possibly a monthly basis. slowly but surely, it results a depreciating of contact. Like denatured tips of synapses, the efficient of friendships have fell. But it should be all good soon. Its not like friendship is a presidential campaign, is it?

Ok as i sink into my melancholic mood, I can't help but feel a sense of over expectation and surrealism. Its as if I am not really living this life. As in this phase of life is just a dream- a realistic one at that. 2 years, of carefree living, 2 years of not really doing anything and getting paid at that, well it does sound good.

As i try to pull my thoughts together, i just can't help but sink and render myself to my melancholy. So till the next time when I muster the strength to type again, adieu.


Music of the type:
Artist: AMY WINEHOUSE
Album: Frank

ENERGIZER

Like a clock that has ran out of batteries, so too has my blog stopped moving for this passage of time. And just like how time does not halt even though the clocks batteries have stopped, so too has my life been ticking away. Now, time to but batteries back into this blog.

Well well it has been close to 3 weeks since army came into my life, and boy it has been a roller coaster of a trip. Due to my absurd laziness, I will not be relating it to you now. But I will in the posts to come. Anyhow just to let you know, I am out of Tekong and back into civilization. And my experience awaits you avid readers.

PS: I work a day 'job' now so call me if you are free

One Circle

And so it is, 4 days remaining and there goes my freedom. It makes sense that this post is here, considering that you don't miss something until it is really gone. Think about this analogy: One day you do something wrong and your mum bans you from going out. Then being grounded and made to stay at home suddenly becomes sad and depressing. This is even though you have not been going out for the past few days and have been having a jolly good time at home.

You see when one is robbed of a certain liberty, he/she begins to treasure it even more. Its human nature I guess. Well I certainly feel this depression and sadness, as army will rob me of this freedom. The point I am trying to drive is this, do appreciate and treasure whatever you have now. I know that this will probably sound corny and seem like one of life's great quotes. But in actual fact this cannot be nearer to the truth. We go through our daily innings in life without seriously appreciating what she bears. We are so focused on tomorrow that we neglect today(another famous quote). Think about it, can you remember what you have done today or yesterday? Have we once stopped to think about the wonderful things that happened in life. Like how we witnessed acts of kindness in the office or school. When was the last time that you enjoyed a sunset?

If the answer to these questions are blanks, then its time for a serious reevaluation of our life. Although it is good to have a life driven by profits and other material trappings. How can we just use statistics and bankbooks to judge the overall satisfaction that we get. How can we say that Donald Trump is happier and leads a more meaningful life than a monk? Well, we cant. Going back to my point, its time we begin to treasure Life more. Take the time to reflect on what happened during the day. Ask yourself how your day went, and try to take note of the wonderful things that happened to you and around you. Treasure it. With all the bad news in this world, we can do with some positive reinforcement.

So I wrap this up this post feeling more refreshed and less dreading army, after all like life, maybe I will find happiness there. Maybe the army will bring more life stories to learn from and fond memories to cherish.

Alright, one good post deserves a another eh. So this is dedicated to my friend, my loyal dog and in the eyes of Mr Loh, my gay buddy. Jerome. You have been there with me for at least the last one year and ten months, and I have to admit it has been a blast. Unlike you I remembered the first time I met you. We were auditioning for choir. For us it was a chance to get into ACJC. For you it was a breeze, singing and melodies came naturally to you. For me, it was sheer desperation, thus the unpolished gem joke. Anyhow yes, we both made it back but definitely through different means. You through singing, me through sheer favor.

And lo and behold we ended up in the same class. So it began a wonderful friendship. It seemed that we had gyming as a similar past time and that's how we got to know each other. I guess, spotting for someone did create trust and always being late for lesson due to gyming had the same profound effect.

Yes, even though you take my food all the time and continuously make fun of me and Sheranne, it somehow got us closer. Yes, you had your fair share of jokes of your flamboyant love life, although I doubt the girl you had in secondary school was any thing but buoyant. Hahaha. It was good to have you in math lessons and lectures, firstly cause your math was pretty good and cause you always had food with you. Especially during J1. Lessons were fun too, you were always a wonderful photo opportunity. You don't know the amount of times I have you sleeping in everything from GP to lit to math. Of course your clumsy manner and your proneness to be the butt of the jokes made it good fun. Remembered you had your pants the wrong way during PE? I still have the picture.

So even after graduation, we are still tight. And I guess that I am blessed to have you as a friend and I hope that you feel the same too. So here's to a wonderful friendship and one that will grow when we go to the army. Here's to mutual acquaintances turning into profound friendship.

My Muse

Some people have told me that my blog is different and that it is not like your normal blog. Well, thank you for that. I take that as a great complement. Let me dedicate this post to talk about my inspiration for the subjects that I talk about on this page.

Well firstly, Inmysense was created to serve as a mirror to my life-obviously. But more importantly, it served as a vessel to express my frustrations at certain happenings around the world and to express my anger at the criminality over some vile and heinous acts against society on the whole. Posts such as 'confessions of a taxi driver', 'while I was being educated', 'somethings very wrong when you need to be educated by an 18 year old', etc. All serve as a foil to reveal the lack of etiquette, the struggles of the individuals in society and the lack of a positive in the world. I hope to create a human face and reveal to you that the situations such as poverty, lack of mannerisms, war,etc are all real and that they are affecting people and that they are not just statistics that you read in the papers. Breeding Humanity.

Secondly, I had created the blog with the intention of it not being just solely a narrative of my life. I mean do people really want to read a page where I tell you what I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, what color underwear I wore or who I think is a bitch. Well, I don't think that is the case. Either way, I wanted the post to have a meaning behind it. Basically there is a moral to all the post and provide more commentary as oppose to a plain narration. This probably explains the lack of post that I have, it is not so much that I don't have anything to say as oppose to me having nothing meaningful to say.

I guess these are the 2 founding principles of my blog. Thus the name, inmysenses.

The Reeling Return to Reality

After much practice, the key pad now feels a whole lot better and more familiar, thus I will attempt to post another article.

Well, the army epiphany has smacked me again and voila! Its going to happen in about seven days! Whoah that was fast, the last thing I remembered was having finished that literature exam and thinking :"Now, I have all the time in the world to rest and relax". Well I guess time does fly when you are having fun- even as cheesy as that saying goes.

Well the 2 months of complete freedom, where I need not worry about another year in school, doing holiday homework, or listen to the incessant nagging of my parents have sadly come to an abrupt halt. The whirlwind months have a been wonderful and have proved to be productive in a spiritual and social sense- not so much the monetary. Life was good. Yet, like an extended holiday, it is time that I get back on the plane and depart back to the real life. Army heralds and so does university for the girls and all those other work and world related 'mundanes'. Nevertheless always the more, these are inevitable and I am beginning to try and embrace it. These 2 months of unbridled freedom will come to a close and its back to black. Where black represents the dull, monotonous and those incessant nagging.

I am smitten by the on rushing kaleidoscope that we all know so well as life. The friends, the work, the social life and the personal life has all been jumbled and contorted into this one image that we go through day after day. Yet, we brave through it day after day, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar and pretending to pass it of as the familiar. I am now re-entering this kaleidoscope where everything is jumbled and there is no clarity and only filled with ambiguity. The traditional black and white have been replaced with the thousands of hues in between.

Oh my, its more depressing than I thought. Its time like these when the belief of a greater being that controls your life provides a relief. O help me, God.

Darn Com

Ahh good to be back in Singapore! I have just came back from amazing HONG KONG where the shopping was great, and the food even better. Wonderful place to be in, sadly I can't show you any photos now, my com is down and I am reduced to using a laptop that had won a good design award 10 years ago. Well, the days are slowly ticking by, and army apprehension is kicking in. Do I really need to waste 2 years of my life doing this? will I fit in? well the questions are endless, just like the endless worries I have.

Well, I guess all I can do is suck it up. Anyhow due to my fingers aching from typing on this minuscule key pad, I will keep the post brief. See you

08

Welcome to 2008. The beginning of the new year. A year that promises to be more exciting, more intriguing and most of all greener (army that is). Mostly everyone else will probably be telling you what they resolve to do in 2008 and how they want to become smarter, nicer, etc. But the question is, do you really need a new year to do all these things? Anyhow to just get into the season of things, I will be one of these mindless people too. So here is my resolutions for the year 2008:

1. I resolve to not change too much in the army.
I know how they say that upon going to the army one becomes like the hooligan on the street. So I resolve that I wont turn up to become like those vulgar and expletive spouting individual. Its not good for my rep. Not healthy too, makes me look so uncouth.

2.I resolve never to smoke or do drugs.
OK this is a follow up of my previous goals that I had set in December. But no drugs or smoking for me. Its too physically damaging to be good. Too expensive too. Well yea so no drugs or smoking! NEVER.

3. I resolve to keep closer contact with my friends.
This has been already emphasized in my post 'connecting people' but it serves best to be reminded. Anyhow so to all my JC mates, watch out! we will be catching up real soon.

4. I resolve to make more money!
-Self explanatory-

Alright that what I can think of now, will add more when I can think of more. After all one does not need a new year to change.

Somethings very wrong when you need an 18 year old to teach you manners.

I have heard about Asian hospitality and how we Asians are a courteous bunch of people. Rich in the traditional belief of filial piety and respecting our elders. But even though these praises have been heaped on us, it seems that it has failed to manifest in our Singapore.

I was taking a bus the other day and as usual the lack of punctuality in our bus services led to a very crowded bus. Well the bus ride was half way done when and elderly couple got on the bus. When I say elderly, I don't mean 40 year old elderly, I mean 60 year old elderly. Well you could tell that they probably would not last the bus ride standing up (They had trouble already getting on board let alone standing there).

Yet as usual everyone sitting on the bus acted as though they were 'busy' with something, no matter how trivial that something is. I mean, how would inspecting the wires of your phone constitute to doing something that would not let you see 2 elderly people struggling to stand up and looking for a seat? Well, peeved at this I gave up my seat- which was close to the front- which the elderly person gladly accepted. Well it took another bus stop before the guy next to me-Mr wire inspector- to follow suite.

Well I guess there are 2 observations from this:
#1: The lack of compassion or thinking of the needs of others
#2: The obvious hesitance to do the right thing even when someone else has led the way.

Now all you older Singaporeans (30 and 40 year old), you have constantly complained on those reality talk shows that the youths of Singapore are without manners and without any courtesy. Well, shame on you. You don't even practice what you preach. Not only do you not set a good example for the young to follow, but you also fail to practice it when someone has already led the way. Tsk tsk tsk. I hope I do not grow up to become like you people.

Now some of you people may be going 'hey those older people may have legitimate reasons for not giving up'. Well if there was such a reason I did not see it. O maybe it could be that they needed to shop for a long time later and needed to rest their legs that sit on those Gucci slippers. Or could it be that their 3 inch heels will be spoil it they are stood on for too long. Could it be that it is too difficult to juggle both listening to your i-pod, to text message and hold the bus rails at the same time? Trivial and superficial nonsense!

There is something called the 'order of priorities'. What it means is that one should do something if the benefit is greater than the other. To apply this to this illustration. We all have reason to remain on our seats. Even I did. But the point of the mater is, we need to weigh our reason to the priority of others who need it more. I am certain that it does not require a rocket scientist to tell you that the reason why the elderly couple needed the seat is better than any reason that you could conjure up. Yet, you do nothing.

Imagine if everyone was like this. How 'fun' will it will be. The buses will probably watching something from a dystopian movie.Where the old are sideline and made to be at the mercy of the young. Where no one on the streets says 'hi' to each other and walk along their merry way shoving and pushing anyone that may stand in their way. Where no one goes 'excuse me' and how they sneeze or cough without covering their mouths. For the discerning few, you will realize that this is happening right now! How unfortunate for our society.

What I am emphasizing here is that we need to be more sensitive to the needs of others. How does one say that we are civilized when basic empathy and manners are missing. This is not civilized behavior, this is rabid animalistic nature! A winner take all mentality, a completely self centered nature. We need to change this, I challenge you to take the first step.

Absolut ACJC?

I just listened to Abba's "thank you for the music", and it somehow stirred all the memories of the past 2 years. My My, this AC years have been good, real good.

Let me allude these 2 years to a how I drink alcohol. First I will sniff the vodka and instinctively a smile will creep to my face. Its uncontrollable, almost intrinsic. Then I will sip it and let it roll in my mouth getting the taste buds acquainted with that Oh so wonderful taste. Yes, it stings for a while but soon enough it taste as sweet as honey and rolls so smoothly. Then I gulp it down, it burns while it travels down the throat and continues to do so in my stomach. Ultimately it kicks in and the overall satisfaction is felt.

ACJC has been such. The first 3 months had been like sniffing the vodka the orientation and the friend making was O so great and O so alluring. Eventually the sting came. Endless homework, those boring lecturers that could but a sloth to shame all announced the end of those happy months. Yet, like all things, we get used to it. The homework came to us as a necessary evil and the excuses for not handing them up came as easily falling asleep during morning devotions. Yes, life rolled on with CCAs, endless visits to watch the performing arts and cheering our teams in tow. Life had been acquainted with ACJC and she had taken well to her. The taste of JC life was like the vodka, it was bitter sweet. It was filled with ups and downs. It was both painful and yet fulfilling. It was addictive. Then came the study of As. Time suddenly had decided to increase her tempo, the work piled up even higher, the competition dates drew. like all the liquid draining from the mouth to the throat, so was all the work piling itself up on the bottleneck of time.The pressure was great, the brain engagement level, high. Then the pressure settled in to boil for the greater part of November. Only, unleashing in euphoria as the last paper ended, the last full stop met the last page. Tis it all ended.

JC life as I knew it was over, yet the JC high was still there. Those friends I made still lingered. Much like the vodka taste. So heres a salute to all you people from ACJC who read this blog. Thanks for much and being there all. As I raise my glass of Baileys to you all, I wish you all the best in the life ahead and hope, that our friendship lingers on.

Agape? Eros? Phileo?

The Greeks used different adjectives to describe love. Each adjective (see tittle) reflected to magnitude of love with Agape meaning deep love and 'Phileo' describing a like. Such is the profound nature of this highly elusive and unpredicatble emotion

Case in point: There was a couple. They had been friends for the longest time and decided to take it to another level. You can probably imagine that the result was not eventful (or else I wont be blogging this right?) Well the break up came swift and fast and ended in weeks. Now the girl does not like the guy and feels jaded and used like those toys which you lose interest in after a few weeks. Needless to say she feels that the friendship of 2 years have festered along with the relationship. She wants nothing to do with him anymore and feels she has lost more than him.

Alright with the basis now set, let me provide you my opinion as I reflect on this.

To the couple: I am sorry that this had to happen. One would have thought that the 2 years of friendship would have served as a foundation rather than a destabilizing factor. Well what ever it is, I sure do hope that the 2 years are not 'wasted' and that I am sure a friendship is still possible. After all both of you seem to hold the saying that ' its history'. Thus if so, I don't see why you cannot start anew. I feel that even though you say it, both of you seem to show that you cannot forget what happened. I am glad that you can't, it shows you are human. To deviate, we are all individuals that are made up memories. Our character is sculpted by that. To simply forget the past is as good as forgetting yr memories- both good and bad. In doing so aren't you simply losing part of yourself? So now the 2 of you are at odds with each other, I am sure you can sit down and settle this. Don't lose the friendship! Its not worth it.

To the guy: this relationships are special. So don't use the 'thats life' excuse. We need to grasp these experiences and somehow draw a lesson from them. For example, in this case, you should try to see what went wrong. Was your mind in the right place but your heart in someone else's'? Since you asked her, I would seemingly think you are more to blame as you initiated it but you could not sustain it. But thats just me. Yea, I hope you know what you are doing.

To the girl: I just talked to you so I got lots to say. Ok first, theres no such thing as in "I think I suffered more than him" Love is not a study of economics. There is no marginal costs between 2 parties. Both of you suffered so don't feel that you got the shorter end of the stick. Cause in fact both of you drew short sticks.

People have different ways of dealing with problems. He seems to shun it and blame it life, you on the other hand blame him! Ok you may be right to do that but can you really put complete blame on him? It takes 2 hands to clap remember. Well, like I told you earlier, learn from this relationship but certainly don't lose the friendship.

Alright, thats all I have to say even though this situation is completely distinct, problems like this are extremely common yet the solution generic.

TIME WILL HEAL ALL WOUNDS? I hope in your case its true.

CHRISTmas

Okay, its 12am here is Singapore and Christmas day has officially begun. 20 seconds has elapsed and it feels no different from the 24th or any other day. Yet, today has a special meaning. A meaning that has lasted for almost 2000 years, a meaning that has transcended geographical boundaries. A meaning that is beginning to be lost.

Well, the theme of Christmas is of course celebrated by Christians. It marks the day in which Jesus (our savior) was born and marks the day in which salvation for the world begins. It also marks the day in which the wise men from the far east brought Gold, mirth and frankincense as gifts to worship Jesus. So thats Christmas in a nutshell, the salient theme here is the ushering of joy, happiness, an overall idea of giving and of course, thanking the lord. Well obviously the world, especially shop owners have embraced the idea of giving gifts. After all, more gifts mean more ringing in the cash registers. A must in our capitalistic and profit driven economy.

So now, I will at least try to shed light on the more elusive part of Christ-mas. Christmas is a time of not only buying and receiving gifts-as fun as they might be. But it encompasses a deeper and more profound meaning to it. You see, today marks the day in which some one who felt deep compassion for the people decided to do something for the people. For he was in a unique position in which he could die and at the same time absorb all the other sins and filth of the people, thus liberating these people from the chasms of sin and torment. Braving the fears and doubts and motivated by love, he did just that. And in doing so, saving the people, provided they believed of his work. Obviously, that guy is Jesus and I just summarized his entire life.
But before I plunge into a sermon, let me gather up the significance of this story.

Be it you be an atheist, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or any religion for that matter. The work of this person is definitely to be admired and adored. For once, forget that the nativity story is about a Christian God and just take a step back and see this Jesus as a mere man. See him as a person. It will probably strike you that the action of this man is certainly honorable, selfless and moving. That emotion is the THEME of Christmas holidays for all religions. The lesson of caring for someone else. For putting someone first. For sacrificing a bit of ones interest, for some one else's. It behooves me to emphasize that Christmas is not the only day that we should do this. But it should certainly be a time for us to remember that.

BLESSED CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!

Confessions of a cab driver #3

Well, the last time I did this, all was well in the realm of taxi fares. Flag down rate was $2.50 and ever 200m or more was a beautiful 10 cents. But now, Oh my the balance has been disturbed. the dark tide of flag down rates at $2.80 and every 325m at a whopping 20 cents have decended in a austere cloud of darkness. Cab companies have been forced to turn to the dark side. Led by none other than oligopoly leader Comfort 'Darth-gro'. Together they have teamed up spreading pain and havoc into the leather wallets of commuters. Its clone army of Toyotas and other Japanese manufactured cars have enslaved the commuters leaving them with only 3 choices, Pay up, settle for public transport or learn to drive.

I had the pleasure of taking and talking to a cab uncle today, and I must say, he remained rather undecided as to the outcome of this new hike. When I talked to him, I asked him for his thoughts. He initially thought that it was a good initiative and allow him to make more money. But when I probed further, he admitted that NTUC should reduce the rental which is $94 a day-cabbies on average make $82 a day. A complete contradiction to his initial assertion!

I guess his reactions is reflected in almost all of us- commuters and cab drivers. We are profoundly confused at this new hike. What was the initial problem that allowed for this scheme to be sanctioned? Was it the rentals or the lacks of cabs in the CBD during peak hours?. Next, did it address the problem? would increasing fares solve the CBD issue indefinitely? would it mean that cabbies will find it more lucrative to be cabbies? Finally, if it does not solve the problem, then what exactly is the hike based on? This conundrum seems barely to be addressed, let alone explained.

So where do I go from here, I am about to reach my place. I asked the driver one last question. What should I do. He tells me to voice my concerns and let the needs of the commuters and drivers be heard. I got home and thought about it, and this is what I derived:

To whoever is reading this, please do something to change the new policy. If not, at least try to voice out the concerns you feel (and I know you have concerns). Don't remain apathetic and think that 'the world will never listen to me, so I will just watch it spin and do nothing.' This mentality will only make you a mindless clone who is completely passive. The fact of the mater is that you do make a difference. Like voting, every vote counts. Just look at the recent election, the PAP had a marginal victory over the workers party. That has completely got to do with the hundred of so votes that were cast. Emphasizing the power you yield.

I for one will now take this lying down. I am currently designing a shirt that will probably say :
"Will rather walk that accept exorbitant hikes". Don't get me wrong, I am not a political dissident. I just think that the message that this sudden and rapid hikes need to be addressed and not brushed aside.

Ok, this has been another episode of confessions of a cab driver. My young padawans, even though the dark side is strong, the force certainly can challenge it. Take heed, you must. Voice your concerns, you will. May the force of pro activeness be with you.

'connecting people'

Well, after an arduous day in orchard fending off these crazy shoppers who probably have a fetish for getting caught in crowds, my list is almost done. Today was great fun and the past few weeks have made me understand the need to 'remaining in touch'.

My readers, I think that at this juncture of my life (which happens to be a time in which I am deep in thought whilst lifeguarding at the pool deck of Temasek club, listening to 'lush' and enjoying a ham pita sandwich), I really do feel that keeping in touch is not important but a key stone in life. When I mention keeping in touch, I don't just mean the usual 'hi', 'bye', 'see you later' kind of keeping in touch. I mean developing the friendship and making a profound effort to compromise, understand and effectively foster relationships.

I thank God that many good friends have come my way in this post 'A' level period. New friends like Han, Kiat, Wei Ting and Penguin all serve to complement my growing friendship with Jerome, Yanni, Kuoks and Chris. Thanks guys for being such wonderful people (sorry about Bangkok). Anyhow, I will end this post with 2 advice for you all.

#1(from Joel): Stick to a close and well knitted group of friends. No point of building a vast network of fair weather individuals.

#2: Keep in touch, don't just say 'see you' when you probably won't even try to do that. Make good of your friendships and your promises-at least try to. In a single word, CHERISH.

All I want for Christmas is you

If Christmas was this easy:

"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you.

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby

I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you You

All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me

Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want him for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is You

All I want for Christmas is you baby
All I want for Christmas is you baby."

Yes yes, Christmas is round the corner and unlike the song that Mariah sang, it sure ain't only about having someone. Well, if that were the case, it would definitely make these toy producers all jittery.

But there is something to be discerned about the lyrics to this song. Imagine a Christmas in which presents are not the raison de entre. Imagine a Christmas in which the people here celebrate each other and not Hasbro,Mattel or Chanel products. Imagine a Christmas where we actually remember that this was the birth date of Jesus.

I am certainly not telling you to return celebrating Christmas by only going to church and doing nothing else. I am just reminding you readers that theres more to Christmas. Lets not lose the meaning of this holiday to product manufacturers and shop owners, aiming to cash in on the holiday. With that said and done, I need to do some shopping now.

adieu