Patriotism on Wheels

Looking down from my house, I felt very patriotic. Felt a 'BIG' connection to the government; or as Mr Brown would call it, Gah-men. I suddenly felt I contributed to this country that I now call home. I felt I've done a big favour to my fellow MRTians now that they have more place to sit, more room to stand. I think the SMRTians and SBSes are happy the bus queue is two and half person shorter.

I would like to contribute the same amount of money to Malaysian Gah-men, but I think it might just end up as somebody's pocket money. But at same time I wish that Singapore Gah-men is not so clever at sucking money out of working class citizens. Maybe more free parking at some places? Lower parking fees? Insurance (ok, this is not caused by gah-men but maybe can be regulated). I don't think that we wanted to 'contribute' so much money out of choice.. but rather this was done out of necessity. Time, comfort, health - its all necessity.

Time - busy schedules for her, high housing cost forces us to move further from her working place. Of course the gah-men can say that you can move to a smaller house, but from where we come from, space is a necessity but here, its a luxury! Due to that, 45 mins to 1 hour of idling in the bus and MRT does not justify the value of missing the time with your kids!

Comfort - especially to a pregnant lady with a cantilever stomach in front. 2.6kg and counting...

Health - everytime we had to wait for a bus, the exhaust from the bus waiting to pick up passengers are pretty damn potent to cause you carbon monoxide poisoning. The yellow Malaysian bus from over the causeway and SBS 170 also contributes to this. They'd wait for passengers (although I don't see any) while the other passengers had to inhale the smelly by-product (disclaimer: that doesn't mean that I'd like to inhale it if bus exhaust smoke smells good like perfume or KFC). Maybe one solution is to move the passenger waiting area away from the bus waiting area or even better, airconditioned terminal like in AMK and Boon Lay.

Well, all I can say now is this: I think Merlion government could do a lot with my 'contribution' but can't you give more discounts?

Baby Bump

No, that's not fat... people on the train, learn to recognize a baby bump so you can offer to give them your seat. That's about 4 months worth of baby inside.

This month I'm 122mm tall. See my tiny hand as well? Beginning next month, I'm going to be measured by weight! Yippie!

Aunty ah.....

There's a lot of worries when you buy a house. Firstly you pay lotsa money for it so you expect everything to be working well. Recently one good friend got harrased by loan sharks or 'Along' as you call them here and in Malaysia. His front door got a free paint artwork from strangers although the real culprit does not live there anymore.

My story is nothing as serious as that. Its just that we got our current place from an aunty and her daughter. So what's the issue? Look at the photo below. I had a tough time removing them from every conner and nook of my house. I've never seen anybody so obsessed with having wall mounted hooks all over their place. Its like there's hooks to hang your stuffs EVERYWHERE in the house. Imagine a housewife (or househusband like me) cleaning their house.. then when she (he) takes a breather from wiping the window... "Oh, thank God there's a hanger, now I can hang my cleaning cloth while I rest for a while!??@!!"

We manage to get most of it from the house walls. But there's still some evidence the 'AUNTY' was here. Just open my kitchen wardrobe and you'll see what I mean. Please tell me when Ikea has a sale on kitchen cabinate door systems! Meanwhile.. here's a fun quiz for you guys.. try to count how many hooks in the photo. The prize for this game? What else? Lifetime supply of wall mounted hooks!!

Chingay Parade

Ok. I'm super duper dead bored although I should be studying for my ground school! But I did and I think a break would be good. So here goes a recap of the dark and lonely time during last CNY... (this is where I rub my chin and the screen starts to ripple and fade away - try watching David Letterman's flashbacks and you'll know what I mean)

Kitty on the prowl

The gals started posing as soon as I aimed my camera....

Well, after coming back from Maroochydore on the 4th day of CNY, I stayed in Singapore instead of going back to Sarikei due to some constrains. To get into the mood of CNY, I joined the crowd to watch the Chingay parade! I was pleasantly surprised that for the first time in ages, Singapore actually had fireworks! That's more like it 'gahmen!'. The irony is this: the Chingay is originally celebrated in Penang at different time of the year and Singapore introduced the parade to distract people after banning fireworks. Interesting facts right? I hope that Malaysia would not get so serious about fireworks although there's already regulations on fireworks. Its like banning cars from the road when some people got knocked down by irresponsible drivers if you ask me....

There were real fire action by China's dragon dance troup and multicultural extravaganza. Plenty of colourful floats, bands, people dressed up as bees, spaceman and cultural themes consisting of Korean, Japanese, Philiphines, Indians, Brazilians and many more. Its a nice parade to watch with all the musics. I enjoyed especially the drums and beats that resounds 'Stomp!'. Perhaps just one comment on the local scene though.. it would be nice to see more cultural stuffs which represents the composition of Singapore instead of the usual futuristic (ie NUS team which is about Dream in the City, or some metalic robot float bellowing steam into the air) or developements (ie HDB floats are just squarish buildings!). Kudos to NTU which had a nice floating palace and supercharged Chinese theme. Gotta get the balance in development and maintaining Singapore's culture! Ok, now that I got the cultural part out of the way.. its back to work!

Nice big grub....

1st Photograph

Hullo world! My name is XXYY. I'm 3 months old. I'm 66mm tall. I am very tall for my age. I've been nice to my mummy because she always eats well for me. Today we took my 1st photograph. Its not very clear because it uses ultrasound instead of the normal photography technique. But Dr Jocelyn is very clever and manages to make out how I look like. She took a front, rear and side ultrasound of me.

I look just like a bean from the rear

At the moment, you can see the skeletal outline of my face and body. I even saw my own heartbeat! Wait for my photos next month and you might just see my features even more clearly!

Peek-a-boo!

House in Singapore

I was just thinking about the house price in Singapore. HDBs are meant to enable every Singaporean to own a house when it was first initated. I guess it has achieved its aim. But nowadays the price of the houses are artifically escalated by the very locals staying here!

If you read on local newspapers you'll hear about the balloting system where people will put their name in for a chance to buy a new HDB flats. Its a no obligation system where non serious buyers can just put their name in for fun. Then if they get the option to purchase the flat, they can just reject it! Its an abuse of the system and this is just one part of the problem.

With this, locals who already own a house (and have nothing else but making profit in their mind), would try to ballot and if they get a good location and view etc, they'd purchase it for the sake of selling it out later for a quick buck!

Thus the saying the richer becomes richer and the poorer can just eat dust. The richer have extra cash so they'd just keep doing this to earn more. I could use the word 'investment' but I guess this is plain abuse of the system. So, did the HDB's policy changed now that they think everybody had owned their own house?

The other thing I heard is that locals move every 5 years if possible. They'd buy a new HDB, then when the price picks up for that house, they'd sell it off and move to another place. Perhaps another new HDB and then they keep repeating the same process over and over again until one day the price of HDBs will become unreasonably high and then what?

Just a gripe when you have too much time alone having just moved into a resale HDB....

Home sweet home

Home... I guess must be lucky to have few homes. It can be confusing at times as well I guess. Haven't been writing since I was back last 2 months cause back then I don't have a place called 'home' just yet. But now I do!

To have a place called home is a happy and liberating time. You know.. its like when you first move out to study in university (freedom!) or when you get your wheels for the first time (to get out of home.. how ironic since it contradicts whatever I am trying to say here.). You get what I mean.

Anyway, its really lucky to have good friends around to help you during the needy times (moving, painting, drinking!? etc) . I guess they can always count on me for help anytime (not drinking except during 'chee mui' sessions!)

I guess I'll try to unwrap the happenings last 2 months in days to come. For now.. I just got the internet and cable TV working at home... so.. just sit back and relax.. for now...

Sarikei and Brisbane

If Sarikei is located next to the sea.. it'll look like Brisbane! (minus the population of course). Some part of the rivers that I see is murky, there's plenty of mangrove growing near the rivers. The weather is tropical and hot, with plenty of vegetation around. You get what I mean for Brisbanites or Sarikeian readers.

Other similarities? Sarikei has couple of interesting bridges as well the lastest two being one over Nyelong river that's just completed and opened for public use and on the other end is the 'Red Bridge'. This Red Bridge is nearer to Bintangor but its like smaller version of Storey Bridge here. Everytime I drive under these bridges I can't help but feel amazed and start looking up instead of keeping focus on the road.

Brisbane is also home to the crocodile hunter... whereas Sarikei is home to the crocodile which is caged in Murudu temple next to the Sarikei River.

Actually what I'm trying to imply here is that I miss Sarikei for once during this time of the year when everyone is going back for Chinese New Year. This will be the 2nd year I'm missing CNY. In fact, this year will be a near miss. I'm scheduled to finish flying here on 26th January itself which is the 1st day of CNY. There's another similarity here. That very same day... its Australia Day which means its public holiday here! Due to that.. even myself can't conclude what's gonna be the plan later...

What does CNY mean for most of us? It used to be visiting open houses and enjoying the foods there. Foods range from chicken curry, rendang to red dried cuttlefish, bakua, kuachi (dried sunflower seed) and pistachios. But more recent years, as all the friends start to work out of town, it becomes a social reunion with family and friends. Its an excellent idea and time cause everyone will be back at that time unless situation does not permit that (like me!!)

Oh well, I guess CNY and life still goes on.. Happy Chinese New Year to everyone especially the 5Sc1 guys Class '96 (you guys know who you are!). Hope to see you guys soon, will try to edge my way back soon..