round in circles
Today's Wednesday.I went out in morning coz Aunty Lan comes in to do the cleaning. I went to register for the IATA-UFTTA Course at the Tourism Management Institute at Palais Rennaisance in Orchard. It's not much of a place but I choose it as it is the official training arms of the Singapore Tourism Board. I asked the staff that attended to me about the Skills Development Programme and she directed me to NTUC and told me that I could get some subsidy for the course fees. I took bus no 36 to the NTUC Building at Bras Basah Road which took me less than 20 mintues in all. I couldn't get a confirmed answer and was told to attend a briefing on 13th August.
I went to the POSBank next door to cancell my old ATM card which I left in GT10. I have been wanting to do this for sometime butjust didn't got round to it. I went in and got the chore over and done with as the bank was almost empty of customer. The last time I was in this building was with Dao Heng trying to start a savigs account for him but didn't suceed as I was recalled nback by Chuan Yi to perform rites at Helen's new home. I saw Xiao Hui outside the next building and decided to walk towards Plaza Singapura instead of Raffles City to avoid her. I just didn't want to do any explaining. I bought Panadol for cold and flu before going home.
If I had kept to my schdule of swimming and jogging, I might not have fell sick.
So much for keeping fit.
|
andi at 21:22
down with flu
I am sick.I hate it when I get sick, especially having planned out the weeks activities. I had wanted to swim every morning and work on my tan. But I have to stay home cause I caught the flu bug and don't think I can start swimming untill friday earliest.
I thought of visiting my usual Chinese sin seh at McPherson but felt that it was too far and tideous without transport. So I decided to see one of those around the neighbourhood and settled for the medical hall that was renovated recently. The sin seh didn't look that confident and was more worried if I am down with SARS. He prescribed four conations of herbs and I finished three yesterday. I am feeling better today but having a headache. It should cure by tomorrow.
I received a call from Research Plus asking if I am interested in working on a street survey project but the catch is we have to be discreet, sounds right up my alley. Anyway, there is a training session tomorrow evening and I am attending it, if I can stop sneezing like no tomorrow, to see where it will lead me to. It will be good to work the brain a bit too.
Besides, having too much time on hand tends to make you sick.
Recovery is at hand.
|
andi at 21:23
solitude
It's a wonderful feeling to live as a normal human being.I went to New Creation Church again today. Despite leaving home earlier, I still did not make it into the Auditorium; I might consider queuing overnite next week to be in the Auditorium as I want to feel if the ambience is as elevating and charging as I think it will be. The music today was not as reverberating as last week but it did give a dash of sombreness to the service. The sermon was as in accordance to Pastor Prince's usual rapid fire, power charged, thought provoking style which touched on beliefs, faith and sacrifice.
I left the service feeling rejuvenated and motivated to face life's challenges, in stark contrast to my former beliefs for after religious service, I always felt a sinner. There are too many restraints and you are expected to live without regards to materialistic appetite, even many aspect of day-to-day living main stream society accepts as the norm is considered unwarranted. The feeling of desolation always sets in as you are taught the only way to salvation is to practice detachment, thus you lose fighting spirit to be more constructive and forgo living life fruitfully. At least now I can roam the streets without negative thoughts of am I wasting my time in futile pursuits and should be spending time isolating myself from reality.
Upon reflections, if I were not a rebel during my schooling days, I would have become a Roman Catholic as Missionary Shools educated me, ten years in all. I attended all the First Friday Masses till upper secondary when I was real seditious and it was then I was exploring the different religions. I embraced my former beliefs on the eleventh year as I just wanted to be different from those around me who were mainly Christians. I was searching for an identity that diverges from the rest and just wanted to be special.
It was this decision that set me apart from my peers for I couldn't enjoy a Big Mac without feeling guilty or use frangrances and felt that it was uncalled for indulgance. I just can't enjoy myself as a youngster for I will feel sinful if I helped myself to all the wonderful things contemporary living offers. My friends didn't t understand why I dress in subtle colours while the world was adorned like the rainbow nor why I prefer vegetarian over foul and fishes. I lost my youth to being pious and all along thought that I am a cut above the rest.
I had Lunch at the same foodcourt and had the same food from the same stall. Am I such a non-conformity extremist as I thought or is it just old habbits die hard?
Change we must to survive.
|
andi at 21:23
existance
Condoms were given as door gifts and the actor dropped underwears on the floor.I watched a play on Saturday. Dad went to the National Stadium for National Day Parade as part of the Health Ministry's Spectators Contingent, Mum engaged with her beautician for some treatment of sorts and Sis tied up at her company's annual talk. So I am left on my own on a Saturday nite.
I reached the Substation Guinness Theatre more than an hour early as it was a Pay What You Want affair; I gave $20 for the ticket. I was wondering what to do when I found myself standing outside an Internet cafe. I spent half an hour replying my singnet e-mails as I couldn't access the web mail site on the home computer.
The lobby was packed when I returned to the Theatre a quarter of an hour before the play starts and heard the ushers said that tickets were sold out. I sat down on the last seat in the first row and this guy behind me crudely told me that the whole of the first row was reserved as there was a big cross on the first seat. I moved off and sat on the walkway as advised by the voice over the sound system. However, only one seat was reserved as I found out just before the play started. So much for kapoism.
The play was based on Cyril Wong's poems. The presentation was stark with minimal interaction between the only two actors; who were dressed in black slacks and white tee. Most of the actions were monotonous, calculated and emphasised on body movements. The poems were read as monologues to portray the characters' feelings and thoughts that also served purpose to intertwine the plot. Multimedia was engaged in the form of short video clip showing past events or aspects that could not be presented on stage.
Both actors, Willy Lau as Shane and Lawrence Wong as Joe, are handsome and cute. Their body movements were graceful and able to portray the metaphors and symbolism the director wanted to bring across. The only shortcomings were some of the movements were too long winded and the actors lacked emotions when reading the monologues. As one audience puts it during the talk back session after the play, the video clips and sound over carries more feelings than the action on stage.
Although the play carries an obvious homosexuality theme, the larger issue explored is as the title suggest, existence. The plot succeeded in bringing across the message that what defines one's existence and whom you live for. Without a clear idea of your motive in life, when people you love abandons you or when you worked hard at something just to find that your efforts in vain, you start questioning your existence. Existence is something relative. Your zest derives form knowing that you are essential to the existence of something bigger; you live as part of a larger mosaic. When you know you are part of Something, the spirit and essence of it is in you. Your existence becomes redundant is when that Something is taken away from your life.
I like two scenes, the underwear throwing one and of course the sex scene. The sex scene was done beautifully, with Shane kneeling on the floor and Joe standing and half bent; both were fully clothed and gravities to some strong music. Lawrence seems to be in agony rather than enjoying it while the expression on Willy's face suggests pure bliss. However both actors were quick to tell the house that they did not engaged in real-man rehearsal and Lawrence added that he did not enjoy that scene at all. It is so obvious what it's suppose to tell the audience although the actors were at different areas of the stage. The other scene where Shane asked one of the Audiences:?� what? the colour of your underwear?" and started dropping underwears from his suitcase in a very prim and proper manner, together with condom sponsored by Durex. It painted a picture for some of us of countless times have we sowed our manhood with strangers after hours of cruising just for the few minutes of pleasure.
The play on whole did bring out the point that we are reliant on each other to find meanings in our existence.
I found solace in the play.
|
andi at 23:55
liquid room
I dreamt of mushrooms.I received an e-mail forwarded by KC about a boy and an apple tree. The tree symbolizes our parents and the boy us - how we can always rely on our parents especially when we are down and out. This is the statement of the week, Mum and Dad were real bricks and supportive financially. They didn't press to much about my future plans as they didn't seems to think I have one. It is not utterly untrue.
I am learning to multi-task. I was watching the last episodes of the Channel U's two Hong Kong serial after dinner. I washed the dishes, bathed, worked and typed out Mum's Reading Month activities for two levels and dressed up for the nite's out. All in two hours. The ending of both shows are so predictable, the main characters paired up and live happily, ever after?
I drove the car to SGH to meet Dad and walked to the Liquid Room at Roberson Quay after handing the car over to him, I almost forgot how the clubbing scene was like in the wilder days. I like the place as it has alfresco seating and the Bar Counter overlooks both the inside and outside area of the pub. The ambienec is trendy, a little metalic and the staff wore full black. I sat at the Bar Counter on the outside and had two servings of Snowball, old habbit dies hard.
Still remembered the time when the gang of Four put our money into running a pub on top of juggling between tight schdule of shuttling between four different camps. The travelling between different work places did found time for us to skive in dealing with the Pub's affairs. Rick, the brain behind the idea of operating a pub, was the one that introduced the low alcohol-frizzy-sweet drink with an enticing bright yellow glamour. He aspired to a bartender.
I never liked alcoholic drinks nor having hang over the next day so I have Snowball at pubs most of the time. I ever got drunk downing twenty-four servings of the drink non-stop on my twenty-fourth birthday and probably had make it into the Giuness Record for the first man who got drunk over a cocktail. I left at two without smelling like an ash tray, though I finished more than half of my hard pack Menthol Lights.
I had a funny dream that mushrooms were growing from my legs and I thought I could pluck it off to cook.
A wake up call to be self providing?
|
andi at 09:33
samatharian
I am not that bad.I went to OG on impulse after my interview at Chinatown. I bought two long sleeve shirt and two business pants, not that I will need them so soon but all my old pants seems to have shrunk or did my waist line expanded? All from the Budget Corner, cost less than $100. Now there is a negative balance in my bank account, all thanks to credit facilities that allows overdraft by just signing for your purchases. I dreed to think of the interest I have to pay, nor the last bill for the terminated mobile phone service of half a thousand dollars. I went to collect a free gift after paying, but was pursuaded to walked away with another a harvest sack at $19.90 when the original price at $35.00.
An old lady in her sixties was holding a letter, looking lost in the Chinatown Station. She is going to Aljunied Station. She didn't seems to understand the directions after I painstakingly explained a few times to her that she has to travel one station to Outram Station, walked to the new extension of that station to take the east bound train. She thought the Outram Interchange is like Raffles Place or City Hall where you simply cross the platform to transfer trains.
I ended up accompanying her on part of her journey, as I alighted at Raffles Place to transer to the north bound train home.
Helpful?
|
andi at 21:33
through fare
hit soemone on the train today, a girl to be precise.I boarded the train at Bradell and there was this Aunty in her mid fifties occuping two seats. I was thinking how uncomfortable or comfortable it is, depending on which part of the atonomy one derives their sexual pleasure from, to wretch your arse in between two seats on the MRT train. An Uncle staggered to what he thought was an empty seat as Aunty was kind enough to shift her butt, presumingly to accomdate his.
No, Aunty waved her hand vigouriously gesturing towards the door. The train has reached Toa Payoh Station at this juncture and a Girl in her late twenties headed straight onto and planted herself next to Aunty oblivious to Uncle trying to balance himself, clutching onto the handrail with one hand and trying to manage his barang barang of a copy of Today and a package. Nor did she seems to notice that a cute NS guy holding on to clutches trying to stop swaying about in tune with the train's tempo in braking to stop or jerking to move off. The two ladies just plunged into an intenst conversation of appraising some guys that Girl was seeing.
Just before the train could reach my destination at Dhoby Ghuat, I unclasped my waist pouch while pretending to salvage it before it reach the floor, I caught hold of it by the starp and swung the pouch potion with all my might at Girl.
I couldn't see her reaction, as I walked calmly to the door with the sweet voice over the PA system annoucing:"Dhorby Ghuat Intechange..."
I didn't feel bad.
|
andi at 21:34
sleeping things
Went to look at the coffee shop at Balastier.The shop looks good as the ownerr has renovated it to leasable condition, but the location is not ideal. There are some apartments down the road and a bus stop few doors away, a 24/7 convenience shop is next door but there are no parking places at all. Competition will be tough as its towards the end of Balastier Road towards Lavender. But the main issue here is capital.
The Pasar Malam is finally opened, untill Sunday, so I got my new matress and pillow. I thought of burning up my old sleeping things but I think it will cause a stir in the neighbourhood.
Talked to Mike over the phone before sleeping. He is well received in his new company and apparantly given quite heavy responsibilites. Good for him.
It's only mid July and my Course, if I am taking the IATA one, will only start in mid October. Three more months of holidays?
Luxury.
|
andi at 21:35
the road less travelled
When to New Creation Church at Suntec City yesterday morning.There was a slight drizzle when I left home, an omen to wash away the pass or tears from heaven to celebrate a new beginning? I could have slept till nine when Aunty Lan comes to do the cleaning; but I choose to travel by bus, train and walked 15 mins to attend a service of a religion, that preaches the extreme of the religion I embraced formerly. One that I devoted some years of time serving in the clergy, no more. Is there an element of betrayal of the man or the religion here? I am still pondering.
I thought I was early, as I woke up just after seven. I was late, nor to say I was one of the last few to enter the Overflow Room, as the Auditorium was full. The way the Service was conducted, one could be forgiven if one thought that you are attending a pop concert or a motivation talk. It was applealing to the young and young at heart and espcailly for those who like to break from traddition. You feel refreshed after the session, not like other religious sermons that makes you feel like a sinner or makes you down and out after hearing the preachings.
Walked around a bit after Service before settleing for lunch at the Basement Food court. I took Dumplings from a stall manned mostly by China Girls - they are every where eating up jobs that Singaporeans discard or even competing for those that appeals.
It's my first time in the library@esplanade - is it a library? The ambience is calming and soothing, authentic is the word. The only short comming is the tempreature, it is more than cooling, freezing is not an understatement. Tried to borrow two video tapes but the Borrowing Machine just didn't allow me to. Found out that have to join the Premium Membership to justify borrowing Audio Visual materials, cost me $10.40.
Wanted to go home but just couldn't bring myself to face Aunty Big after my most recent Big Decision in my life. Killed some time at Toa Payoh Central appriasing the changes tatht took place over the last few years. It's alive and buzzling as compared to the old and worn out place I knew in school days. Killed more time watching Alex & Emma. What kind of name is that for a Bimbo - though she didn't qualify as one till almost the end of the show, which somehow leaves a bitter sweet ending.
Glued myself to the television set and had some western dinner of chicken chop, that's another inovation of Singaporeans. Who heard of chicken chops in the West? Only pork chops and lamp chops. You never heard of beef or cow chops right?
Will tomorrow bring a new life?
I hope.
|
andi at 21:36
The Best Self Control Of A Man Is The Ability To Control His Orgasmmaystar designs