Up & Down

Money matters get me down... well, not quite the whole picture but yeah. I can only thank God for His grace & empowerment!

Question: What are you passionate about? I've realized that there's something I should be passionate about... Jesus! After all, He's sacrificed so much for us and who else is the lord of all? The Christianly walk ain't easy though, simply because the spirit battles the flesh.

Am glad I went for church this morning, been feeling a little down. But an inspiring & uplifting word was preached - (paraphrased) of remembering who I am, what I have and what I can achieve. It ain't smoke & mirrors and polished motivational speak, that much I will at least attest to.





After church today, visited SAM, mainly for the Fiction@Love exhibit and had a enjoyable time. Pictures speak for themselves (all sneakily taken, of coz!).

Frayed

Alas! One of my web favs, Fray.com, went on hiatus as of Oct 2005. A casualty of the weblog phenomenon?

Pumpkin Soup

Read this guy's recipe - ordinary but entertaining read.

Red & Glistening

During my teenage angst days, I was nicknamed "Ang Gu Kueh". No prizes for guessing why.

Pic courtesy of Flickr SGPOW.

Stratification

It's acknowledged tt SG perpetuates elitism, particularly through our education system - a well-honed (& versatile?) factory tt serves to efficiently churn out the workers the country needs.

Well, am no political nor social critic, but it is a sobering fact to observe. Of course, in the name of egalitarianism, one feels for the unprivileged masses, yet in the name of economic progress, it seems like a necessary evil (that is, "evil" in a loose sense).

As always, food for thought...

Read Singabloodypore: Elitism in stratified education & 17yo Gayle's take: Elistism: Who, Us?.

Recently there was some coverage on China's 10yr Cultural Revolution and it struck me how ideologies can take Man to the extreme... "Those who fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it." - Winston Churchill

Voting

Read Today Online: Voting must be seen to be secret.

Much has been said about voting and whatever else that can be said, elections are over and done with. Now it's back to our normal lives and "wait & see"...

Cousins & Mommy

My cousins are such a joy! My uncle is indeed blessed to have 3 daughters (decibel-breaking shrieks & laughter notwithstanding). One's yakky, the other's giggly and the third's not in the picture.



My latest domestic obsession - card making. Made a card for mom and left it on her pillow (and still unbeknownst to mom, managed to steal a shot in the dark).

How hard it is to find a capable wife! She is worth far more than jewels! ...her children show their appreciation, and her husband praises her. He says, "Many women are good wives, but you are the best of them all." (Pro 31:10, 28 & 29)

The Weekend Beckons

For some reason, this week's passing too slowly... perhaps it's the slowing pace at work.

Come Friday come... Anyone up for a cuppa?

Saturday Out

First up: What does one do in a contested GRC on Polling Day? Why, vote, of course! It was over in 20min. The kiasu S'porean in me wanted to queue at 7.30am, honest! BTW voting is secret, so don't ask :)

After tuition, decided to zip to the flea market at Timberlux Centre. T'was hot & crowded inside the warehouse, sweaty bodies filing through narrow aisles, peering at used knick knacks. For some reason though, there were quite a few good-lookers in there, sellers & shoppers alike.

Didn't spend more than 10min in there; am into neither designer t-shirts nor women's fashion. Was intrigued by a Polaroid camera which for was going for $60, except was discouraged tt wouldn't be able to get film locally. In the end, I couldn't resist getting Omnibus, a compilation of Roald Dahl's bedtime stories for $8. Oh joy! :)





Next activity: Exploring Chinatown (see more pics here)

From a bustling People's Park to fresh chinese pastries to a trishaw contingent to elders fellowship to ah peks playing chess to a peaceful comics haven (i imagine readers trapped in pugilistic fantasy worlds) to... it's truly sights & smells galore :)

Must say though, Chinatown seems to have lost some of its character, with the wanton commercialization & relentless upgrading over the past decades. Treasure your memories, folks.



G brought me to Qun Zhong Eating House for xiao long bao. Quite good, I must say. Each dumpling is bite-size, a fine balance of meat, dough and the "dumpling essence" tt floods the mouth on first bite... Mmmm... As usual with G, we ate for 3 ppl - I blame it on the quaint dynamics we've.

Loti "Gu Yew"

Courtesy of Yawning Bread

Missed WP's rally at AMK last night. Didn't realize the scale of these rallies, esp. the WP's, till I saw pictures for myself (see above) - spectators must have easily added to 10K or more (a picture of another night's rally at Hougang that better depicts the numbers here). Dad reported hearing both cheers & jeers during the speeches - the main point he caught from WP was how a first world country requires an opposition and how the costs of living in Singapore are soon to increase.

It's the first time I'm taking an interest in local politics, so I guess I should be grateful to the 5 young upstarts contesting against PM Lee's team.

Had an interesting conversation this morning with my colleagues. One attended last night's WP rally and was actually impressed by a few of the speakers - issues raised included how the poor & needy are being neglected, how ministers getting top-dollar should be made more accountable and how the PAP is perpetuating a system built around itself.

I couldn't help but expressed how I disagree with the mode of delivery in appealing to emotions and instead I pointed out achievements in the PAP's favour. That's when K remarked (rather insightfully, I thought) that he shared my idealistic sentiments in his younger days. But his personal experiences with various Government policies through living in, raising a family & taking care of an ailing parent in Singapore made him realize how harsh the pressures of life can be. CK then shared about dismal living conditions at one-room apartment HDB block where elderly dying unnoticed is a common scene.

Suddenly I feel like a young upstart, untried by life, genuine bread & butter issues unbeknownst. But one thing I've realized, that the Government's responsibilities are truly multi-facted.

After that discussion, somehow Lim Boon Heng's words in Today's broadcast rang somewhat hollow - that is, simply words. Now what is progress if society leaves behind the disdavantaged? Suddenly I'm glad for my church's social outreach efforts.

Do read Guardian Limited's Fear is the weapon that stifles dissent though I deem it an accurate but incomplete take on our sunny island (though now gloomily wet).

Flea Day

Flea Day this Saturday at Timberlux Centre.

Vae victis

Vae victis is Latin for "Woe to the conquered"... and almost conquered I am, expending tissue after tissue trying to plug one nose tt runneth over. But woe is me because there's no Grey's Anatomy on the telly tonight.

And so there the long weekend past - above is collage of lunch at rochester, thankfully pals didn't mind one sniffly, sore-nosed dude.

Read some interesting thoughts about the general elections. Truth be told, I haven't decided yet; am still mulling over issues as lotsa food for thought. Hope a conclusive decision is near.

Music for a rainy evening: Ray Lamontagne - Until The Sun Turns Black

Sunrise

Norah Jones

Sunrise
Sunrise
Looks like morning in your eyes
But the clock's held 9:15 for hours

Sunrise
Sunrise
Couldn't tempt us if it tried
Cuz the afternoon's already come and gone

And I said
Hooo, hooo, hooo
To you

Surprise
Surprise
Couldn't find it in your eyes
But I'm sure it's written all over my face

Surprise
Surprise
Never something I could hide
When I see we made it through another day

Then I say
Hooo, hooo, hooo
To you

And now the night
Will throw its cover down, ooo, on me again
Ooh, and if I'm right
It's the only way to bring me back

Hooo, hooo, hooo
To you
Hooo, yeah, hooo, hooo
To you

9 hours on with a 30min shut-eye... have gone past no man's hour - could it be the adrenaline?

*eyes glazed*

Giving

Of giving, Paul has this to say,

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Cor 9:6-15)

How should one respond to a call for generous giving? Loans, bills & duty are all unmistakable clear, but so is the Word.

Friends of Timor

Check out the funky ad campaign

Flower Power

A sight that never fails to cheer me up is the array of bougainvilleas lining both sides of the overhead bridge spanning AYE. Already half-breathless from trudging up 3 flights of steps, the warm display of rich purple flowers simply takes the rest of my breath away. I wonder if perhaps the exhaust from traffic below actually nourishes their colour. With a lighter step, I trudge on to start my day at work, with my botanic friends reaching out through the restrictive grill, as if to shake my hand. Ah, such simple pleasures :)

Cloud Watching

The sky looks beautiful today;
the vast blue expanse decked with wispy whites.
Take a moment, take a breather
to enjoy what He has made.

Gotta Love Them

To celebrate my bro's belated BD, brought my family out for Italian dinner. Now there's nothing like good food with a great family - esp. panna cotta tt's just heavenly :) Learnt a small lesson in acceptance & setting high expectations tho.

Recipe for Vanilla Panna Cotta
(courtesy of Martha Stewart)

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup whole milk

For The Vanilla Syrup:
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
2 teaspoons Marsala wine

Blessed Easter

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:3-7)

Yet on Easter Sunday, He rose again and... We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:4)

Hallelujah and hallelujah!

Friday Out

It's an odd feeling, mingling with strangers whom I should have more in common with. Even more so the brave act of wanting to "keep in touch".

Well, till we meet again...



Meanwhile, enjoy the video. Titled "Unoriginal Beauty".

Heh.