uZap, iZap

Courtesy of Kenny Sia.

Wart the?

Saw my friend's foot wart yesterday - suffice to say tt just looking at this illustration already gives me the shivers. Brrrr! And to think there I was, feeling sorry for myself for a minor case of foot fungus.

But still swimming on! Albeit with slippers in the swimming pool toilet now.

Almost Crushed, Miffed, Still Hopeful

While I was washing the dishes, mom suddenly blurted, "This Chinese New Year's eve, we'll be having our own reunion dinner. Because Grandma's not celebrating her birthday this year." (in chinese)

HUH?!? I was crushed. Almost. "How come??"

To cut the long story short, my grandparents must be taking yet another step towards ultra-legalism in not partaking of traditions & customs deemed as non-christian - that's right, no birthday, no CNY, no family reunion.

My mom, being only the messenger, couldn't answer my insistent queries. I immediately sought my dad out, who seemed nonchalant about it. "Yup, this year not celebrating."

Year after year, our entire extended family (ah kong had 10 children, so go figure) comes together on CNY's eve for a reunion lunch a la steamboat, with red wine (& accompanying teasing about folks who turn red easily) being a recent welcomed addition. I even got a colleague to get me a Malbec on his recent trip and I've been eager to let everyone try it.

Needless to say, CNY eve family reunion's a deeply meaningful Chinese tradition which upholds love & unity in the family. In our case, it manifests itself in the annual family portrait, with smiling faces immortalised - Uncle Patrick always has to do the same mad dash before the timer goes off while his 3 daughters squeal in shrilly excitement.

Seeing my little cousins get bigger year after year is quite a joy for most of us. Then there's the grapevine-updating about who's doing what. The older men comparing waistlines & diets, with wives following up with mock admonishing. The occasional kid falling accidentally, silently scrunching his/her face before the awful cry for attention...

Suggested to dad tt as an alternative, we ask eldest uncle to open up his house. Dad agreed. But it just won't be the same without my grandparents and the usual birthday cake & song routine.

Miffed, I am. But still hopeful.

Else, Bintan beckons. Or KL, Phuket... whatever.

Brian Gothong Tan

SHM Presents Soul to Soul Remixed by Brian Gothong Tan.

Exhibition till end of Jan, anyone interested?

14 Jan 06

Exactly 2 weeks of 2006 have passed.

Nothing accomplished yet. No good! Shucks...

No matter, for today matters! Must do what matters today :)

Nu Gospel

While surfing for radio channels on BBC, stumble upon this: 1Xtra Vibrations by DJ Fitz, bringing you "the best in nu gospel sounds across the genres".

Couldn't find any write-up about Nu Gospel music, but did find some recommended Gospel albums. But still a fan of Hillsong & Planetshakers :)

I Don't Wanna Grow Up

Videos of top 3 winners of Stop Motion Clay Animation Short Film Contest inspired by W&G.

The Lifebuilder's Creed

Today is the most important day of my life.
Yesterday with its successes and victories, struggles and failures
is gone forever.

The past is past.
Done.
Finished.
I cannot relive it. I cannot go back and change it.

But I will learn from it and improve my Today.
Today. This moment. NOW.
It is God's gift to me and it is all that I have.

Tomorrow with all its joys and sorrows, triumphs and
troubles isn't here yet.
Indeed, tomorrow may never come.

Therefore, I will not worry about tomorrow.
Today is what God has entrusted to me.
It is all that I have. I will do my best in it.

I will demonstrate the best of me in it -
my character, giftedness, and abilities -
to my family and friends, clients and associates.

I will identify those things that are most important to do Today,
and those things I will do until they are done.
And when this day is done

I will look back with satisfaction at that
which I have accomplished.

Then, and only then, will I plan my tomorrow,
looking to improve upon Today, with God's help.

Then I shall go to sleep in peace . . . content.
~ Dale Witherington

New Social Media?

Read CNN money: Yahoo's new gamble with social media. One up for Internet parlance: Flickrizer.

To Grow Old & Die

Read in today's Sunday Times, Confessions of a new senior citizen by Richard Lim. The article brought on a faintly familiar sentiment, because I used to tell others tt I fear growing old - of a gradually decaying body and all its accompanying ailments till ultimate death.

But it also brought on stiff disagreement - for I've realized this life holds a wonderful future and a hope - and a tinge of sympathy for the writer. Of course, being old & unable to do the things tt one used to enjoy is a state no one desires. But some do age gracefully; my mom once commented how the wife of General Chiang Kai Shek still looked so beautiful even in her later days. More importantly, we can choose to live our lives meaningfully towards an envisioned end state and eagerly anticipating the life after.



Courtesy of BBC News

Google Takes on the World... Again

Read Fosfor Gadgets: The Google Cube & GooOS.

"Imagine Google shipping out millions of cheap, small Google cubes (cost is rumoured to be under $200) - that instantly can be connected to your existing TV, computer, stereo or other systems you might have in your home."

Attachment

*spoiler warning*

Just caught on VCD Birth (2004, directed by Jonathan Glazer). With an interesting twist, the film speaks of the profound emotional attachment that a person can have for another, even when he or she has long passed on.

Thought the accompanying minimalist music - with an identifiable electronic bassline & trinkling sounds - made for a cool soundtrack. Only Kidman, with her screen presence and emotive acting, could have made for such a character with such a believable set of complex emotions.

Most bizarre scene: 10yo kissing full-grown woman.

Cowabunga!

Courtesy of Lucid Maxima

A Belated Pic

b/w

Courtesy of Rhythm Vision

One Must Do Something

On this boring day in the office, one was checking out videos of Capoeira in action - most impressive! One wonders how non-gymnasts & non-break-dancers can actually pick this up - with gutsy determination, one guesses.

Now tt one's colleague's finally leaving, one ponders one's own immediate future. One's projects were awarded certificates for excellent project governance - one chucks aside the certs & continues surfing the web.

One downloads the HTML-Kit to kickstart one's e-commerce dreams. Seeing programming code & cold developers' language, one is suddenly reminded of varsity days spent in the labs, agonizing over Java while sipping cuppa. One wonders how a non-professional can realize one's e-commerce dreams - with quiet courage, one determines!

*grin*

vivanda, alimento, generi alimentari, alimente

Courtesy of Kuidaore

So Cute Hor?

For the cute-lovers.

Value Life, Act Responsibly

En route to my first church service for 2006, I spied one of these signs at Tanah Merah mrt. Despite my sleepy state, it spoke to me: It's a new beginning, maximise every minute of your life, be accountable to Him.

A great way to start the year, I thought. Thank you, SMRT :P

Over the air: No Doubt - Running

Run
Running all the time
Running to the future
With you right by my side

Me
I'm the one you chose
Out of all the people
You wanted me the most
I'm so sorry that I'm falling
Help me up lets keep on running
Don't let me fall out of love

[Chorus:]
Running, running
As fast as we can
I really hope you make it
(Do you think we'll make it?)
We're running
Keep holding my hand
It's so we don't get separated

Be
Be the one I need
Be the one I trust most
Don't stop inspiring me
Sometimes it's hard to keep on running
We work so much to keep it going
Don't make me want to give up

[repeat chorus]

Inward Looking, Forward Looking

'tis the season for making resolutions - and asking others what theirs are. Against my want for privacy, here's a couple (so ppl can hold me to them!):

1. Pick up the guitar - Yes, i've gone on enough about it, it's time to do something about it - which I did, albeit not enough. Perhaps I should aim to serenade some lucky gal on Valentine's...

2. Finish a biathlon - SG biathlon coming up in end-Mar, subject to work commitments. Meanwhile, brush up on swimming. Recent news on strong swimmers drowning not encouraging.

3. MAYBE pick up something new & exciting - Of late, I was struck by a sense of the mundaneness in my life. Now what would spice it up? Photography? Climbing? Trekking? Become a qualified lifeguard? Go on a mission trip? A new language? Visit Cambodia/India? So much I could do, so little time/money.



"Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Bouts of "downtime" aside, it's been a wonderful year - full of little joys and slowly but steadily growing with God. Things haven't been perfect, but I've counted my blessings (not tt it's numerable) and it's time to look forward to a new beginning with renewed resolve.

To you my reader, have a blessed new year :)



On the air: Jamie Cullum - High & Dry

Two jumps in a week, I bet you think that's pretty clever don't you boy.
Flying on your motorcycle, watching all the ground beneath you drop.
You'd kill yourself for recognition; kill yourself to never ever stop.
You broke another mirror; you're turning into something you are not.

Don't leave me high, don't leave me dry
Don't leave me high, don't leave me dry

Drying up in conversation, you will be the one who cannot talk.
All your insides fall to pieces, you just sit there wishing you could still make love
They're the ones who'll hate you when you think you've got the world all sussed out
They're the ones who'll spit at you. You will be the one screaming out.

Don't leave me high, don't leave me dry
Don't leave me high, don't leave me dry

It's the best thing that you've ever had, the best thing that you've ever, ever
had.
It's the best thing that you've ever had; the best thing you've had has gone away.

Don't leave me high, don't leave me dry
Don't leave me high, don't leave me dry