Half a year has gone past, swift as the wind.
Am I happy with how it turned out so far? Yes I must say I'm satisfied. Have I done what I set out to accomplish? I've been like a leaf, going where the wind blows... so it's a half-half I think. Have I been outstanding and ridiculously proud of all that I've done. Not really. I believe that I could've done better in some aspects.
There has been some good surprises. Back-to-back trip to Phuket and then Darwin; there were also two trips to Bintan with my CS friends. Then the past few weekends flew by in a blur, with lots of loud music, fantastic beer and even better company. The fitness theme for this year is running and I've been running like crazy, possibly more than the past couple of years added together. Completed races and won medals. The most memorable were Urbanathlon and Sundown. They were great because they were difficult and completing them was such a rush. As for concerts, well, the high from witnessing Lady Gaga is enough to last the whole year! There were also two huge KKJ gigs that I went for. I'm glad they're back in a big way.
Looking into the crystal ball, it's going to be more of the same, but a tad more exciting. Three more races have already been booked, one of which, the adidas King of the Road, is in KL. That's in September. One month before that I'll be flying to KL but this time, to Taman Negara, the world's oldest tropical rainforest. I'm quite tempted to visit Bintan for another short trip to discover what I haven't had the chance to and Batam to cable-ski for a day. Also, more clubbing, yes, more booze, more dancing.
Family's fine. Friends are fine. Work's fine. My health is fine. My financial health., er, will be like wine, and grow fine with time. The world of Pop is fine.
I like how the year is unfolding slowly, revealing secrets to me about myself and my part in the world. Every step is a step in the right direction; every mistake is a step to perfection.
Sunday, July 01, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Building Life
Starting work makes you grow up. You don't think about the time you have left on earth until you're faced with deadlines on a daily basis. You don't think of how much money you have to make until you've got so much to be responsible for. You don't think of how much you're doing until you realise there's so much more you can do.
So sometimes when you're trapped in reality, you become selfish, believing that you deserve the best, that sacrifices aren't important, that you're more important than everything else, every ideal and being righteous. In place of that is an endless hunger and drive to have it all. It manifests itself as insatiable greed.
I was quite affected by the two pieces of news today. I remind myself that corruption gets you nowhere and money buys the least in life. Everything of value is everything you've learned to cherish.
The happiest moments have been doing great things, for others. The most memorable ones were the ones I spent with people I cared about. Fame and fortune is fun, but they can never compare to being contented, cared for, understood and togetherness.
Just like yesterday, when the four of us looked back and reminisced about FOC being the best time of our uni lives...
So sometimes when you're trapped in reality, you become selfish, believing that you deserve the best, that sacrifices aren't important, that you're more important than everything else, every ideal and being righteous. In place of that is an endless hunger and drive to have it all. It manifests itself as insatiable greed.
I was quite affected by the two pieces of news today. I remind myself that corruption gets you nowhere and money buys the least in life. Everything of value is everything you've learned to cherish.
The happiest moments have been doing great things, for others. The most memorable ones were the ones I spent with people I cared about. Fame and fortune is fun, but they can never compare to being contented, cared for, understood and togetherness.
Just like yesterday, when the four of us looked back and reminisced about FOC being the best time of our uni lives...
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Silver, Finally
I had a rude shock when I realised that I had two weeks left to take my IPPT. The horrible, horrible rule, where you had to take it three months before your birthday, just kicked in. I've never had to book sessions or do anything for it. I've always done it during ICT. This time it was different. Scary even. I went online to book the test at Khatib, a camp that I have never been to before!
Thankfully it turned out well. My nemesis, the standing board jump, was swiftly defeated. In fact, it was my first station. I just might have left for home if I lost the battle instead, but thankfully, things went my way. Even the slightly faulty censor chin-up bar couldn't get me down. No count? I'll do another. And another. I'll do it till I get 5 points because I've been getting 5 points since I've taken IPPT do you hear?! Sit-ups were a bit nonsense though. I did 30 in 30 seconds and spent the next 30 doing 10. How lame is that?
The 2.4 could have been worse. My legs were aching terribly after training on Thursday, but surprisingly, running on the track was incredibly easy. The distance felt so short! Not that I did it in a great time of course, but for someone who woke up every Saturday to run for an hour, 12 minutes is nothing!
And that's how I got my first Silver in close to half a decade. Granted, it's the first time I'm Cat Y, but I've shaved almost 30 seconds from my previous 2.4, improved on my SBJ, and consistently beat the crap out of the other 3 stations.
Huge thank you to my best supporter - James. Couldn't have done it without him. It was great to see someone familiar in such a horribly foreign environment. Glad we conquered IPPT together.
Thankfully it turned out well. My nemesis, the standing board jump, was swiftly defeated. In fact, it was my first station. I just might have left for home if I lost the battle instead, but thankfully, things went my way. Even the slightly faulty censor chin-up bar couldn't get me down. No count? I'll do another. And another. I'll do it till I get 5 points because I've been getting 5 points since I've taken IPPT do you hear?! Sit-ups were a bit nonsense though. I did 30 in 30 seconds and spent the next 30 doing 10. How lame is that?
The 2.4 could have been worse. My legs were aching terribly after training on Thursday, but surprisingly, running on the track was incredibly easy. The distance felt so short! Not that I did it in a great time of course, but for someone who woke up every Saturday to run for an hour, 12 minutes is nothing!
And that's how I got my first Silver in close to half a decade. Granted, it's the first time I'm Cat Y, but I've shaved almost 30 seconds from my previous 2.4, improved on my SBJ, and consistently beat the crap out of the other 3 stations.
Huge thank you to my best supporter - James. Couldn't have done it without him. It was great to see someone familiar in such a horribly foreign environment. Glad we conquered IPPT together.
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Speaking for 300
I'm not a natural at public speaking.
In fact I was this awkward kid, who loved people, but was scared to talk to them.
Fast forward a couple of years, when I got to Sembawang Secondary School, and I got the chance to be the emcee for our school's official opening. It was a grand event, one attended by our current President, Dr Tony Tan. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise as our guest-of-honour, Dr Tony Tan...," I said in my best speaking-to -important-people's voice. My English teacher was the one who picked me and she'd give me lessons on how to speak. We went into the art and science of it - pauses and intonation - speaking with feeling, with meaning and getting people's attention.
I loved it.
I was still awkward of course. I get nervous in front of a crowd. My voice was trained and if you heard me, you'd never think I was nervous, but one look at my body language you could see I was uncomfortable. Slowly, in Junior College, I sort of grew up, and started to grasp who I was and what I stood for. I became a bit more sure of myself.
Fast forward to last Thursday, when there was a town-hall meeting with the management. It was more of a gathering, with close to 300 employees in attendance and we kicked off the programme with a presentation I prepared. Needless to say it was not very well-rehearsed as I was responsible for other parts of the event. I was busy as hell. Other than scribbling a few words here and there... I really could have done more!
But you know, when the time comes, you've just got to do it! I knew some key ingredients - I had to be myself, have a personality. It's okay to be nervous, I was even comfortable enough to express it. (There was a point where I garbled "memorable" and then corrected myself before asking everyone to excuse me because I was ridiculously nervous.)It's a way of getting the audience to relate. Of course, I used my best voice, the only thing I was most confident of. I interacted with a few key people, taking them by surprise, for which I publicly apologised but it made it more entertaining and engaging. I got a few awkward moments as well (something I've never completely shaken off). For that I'm glad I have a bad memory cos I don't cringe that much when I think back at the entire experience. The segment was the company's proudest moments and there was rather generous applause most of the time. I'm glad that the audience got it. I'm glad I had a chance to do it because the only way to get better at speaking is by doing it often.
During refreshments I went around and spoke to some familiar faces and I was really touched by their kind words. Needless to say I enjoy hearing good things about myself, but having people from interns to managers expressing similar sentiments about how they enjoyed the presentation really made everything worth it! There were warm smiles and warm handshakes all around. For me it's a huge highlight, a milestone at work and something I'd love to continue doing.
I was only half-joking when I told a colleague that this was a great way to prepare for my next job as a DJ. ;)
In fact I was this awkward kid, who loved people, but was scared to talk to them.
Fast forward a couple of years, when I got to Sembawang Secondary School, and I got the chance to be the emcee for our school's official opening. It was a grand event, one attended by our current President, Dr Tony Tan. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise as our guest-of-honour, Dr Tony Tan...," I said in my best speaking-to -important-people's voice. My English teacher was the one who picked me and she'd give me lessons on how to speak. We went into the art and science of it - pauses and intonation - speaking with feeling, with meaning and getting people's attention.
I loved it.
I was still awkward of course. I get nervous in front of a crowd. My voice was trained and if you heard me, you'd never think I was nervous, but one look at my body language you could see I was uncomfortable. Slowly, in Junior College, I sort of grew up, and started to grasp who I was and what I stood for. I became a bit more sure of myself.
Fast forward to last Thursday, when there was a town-hall meeting with the management. It was more of a gathering, with close to 300 employees in attendance and we kicked off the programme with a presentation I prepared. Needless to say it was not very well-rehearsed as I was responsible for other parts of the event. I was busy as hell. Other than scribbling a few words here and there... I really could have done more!
But you know, when the time comes, you've just got to do it! I knew some key ingredients - I had to be myself, have a personality. It's okay to be nervous, I was even comfortable enough to express it. (There was a point where I garbled "memorable" and then corrected myself before asking everyone to excuse me because I was ridiculously nervous.)It's a way of getting the audience to relate. Of course, I used my best voice, the only thing I was most confident of. I interacted with a few key people, taking them by surprise, for which I publicly apologised but it made it more entertaining and engaging. I got a few awkward moments as well (something I've never completely shaken off). For that I'm glad I have a bad memory cos I don't cringe that much when I think back at the entire experience. The segment was the company's proudest moments and there was rather generous applause most of the time. I'm glad that the audience got it. I'm glad I had a chance to do it because the only way to get better at speaking is by doing it often.
During refreshments I went around and spoke to some familiar faces and I was really touched by their kind words. Needless to say I enjoy hearing good things about myself, but having people from interns to managers expressing similar sentiments about how they enjoyed the presentation really made everything worth it! There were warm smiles and warm handshakes all around. For me it's a huge highlight, a milestone at work and something I'd love to continue doing.
I was only half-joking when I told a colleague that this was a great way to prepare for my next job as a DJ. ;)
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
The Born This Way Ball
Off the top of my head, 10 things I loved about last night's The Born This Way Ball.
1. Singing Born This Way while playing with a little Lady Gaga doll that was thrown up on stage
2. Edge of Glory reminded me of the amazing performance on Idol where she fell off the "cliff". Here, she climbs all the way to the top of the castle.
3. Squeezing the biggest hits at the front, the ones that she's best known for... quickly escalated the atmosphere into a feverish pitch. Just Dance - Love Game - Telephone in Act II was amazing.
4. The moving banter during Hair. Always proves that she's got a story to tell while singing songs that mean something to her. I was surprised that she didn't do more slow ones with the piano choosing instead to go with production and choreography for most of it! But it made Hair all the more special.
5. Everyone, the dancers, to us, were hot. The nice, sweaty, warm, dance-like-mad kinda of hot.
6. The costumes were... I think it's a given that her costumes were memorable and top-notch. Especially loved the white "vacuum-cleaner" outfit where she glided across the stage.
7. Again, the dancers. There was one in particular, I really liked. Especially... well, I shan't name names!
8. The fact that she looked like she wanted to be on stage. That she was going to die on that stage even if it killed her, she'd want to perform. As she said, even if the money, the costumes... if everything were gone, she'd cherish the connection that she had with all of us. In any true musical experience like this, it's really what you take away from the concert. Not the material stuff but the atmosphere and that connection.
9. The audience was crazy. She attracted a different kind of music-lover. She induces a different kind of fever. She was outrageous and the audience followed suit. Everyone dressed for adventure, one notch higher. She even highlighted a queen in the crowd, standing right up there at the front. She must have queued for a real long time to get that position in the monster pit!
10. It was so brilliant to see her grow as artiste, since I last saw her in Singapore in 2009. She promised to be back and she really brought a show to remember. A set that put her relatively unplanned for Fort Canning gig to shame. A presence that evolved and commanded grandiose yet aware that any one of the hundred over shows that she planned for this tour, she must be intimate and find the connection and make every session different.
Truly, the best concert I've ever been to.
1. Singing Born This Way while playing with a little Lady Gaga doll that was thrown up on stage
2. Edge of Glory reminded me of the amazing performance on Idol where she fell off the "cliff". Here, she climbs all the way to the top of the castle.
3. Squeezing the biggest hits at the front, the ones that she's best known for... quickly escalated the atmosphere into a feverish pitch. Just Dance - Love Game - Telephone in Act II was amazing.
4. The moving banter during Hair. Always proves that she's got a story to tell while singing songs that mean something to her. I was surprised that she didn't do more slow ones with the piano choosing instead to go with production and choreography for most of it! But it made Hair all the more special.
5. Everyone, the dancers, to us, were hot. The nice, sweaty, warm, dance-like-mad kinda of hot.
6. The costumes were... I think it's a given that her costumes were memorable and top-notch. Especially loved the white "vacuum-cleaner" outfit where she glided across the stage.
7. Again, the dancers. There was one in particular, I really liked. Especially... well, I shan't name names!
8. The fact that she looked like she wanted to be on stage. That she was going to die on that stage even if it killed her, she'd want to perform. As she said, even if the money, the costumes... if everything were gone, she'd cherish the connection that she had with all of us. In any true musical experience like this, it's really what you take away from the concert. Not the material stuff but the atmosphere and that connection.
9. The audience was crazy. She attracted a different kind of music-lover. She induces a different kind of fever. She was outrageous and the audience followed suit. Everyone dressed for adventure, one notch higher. She even highlighted a queen in the crowd, standing right up there at the front. She must have queued for a real long time to get that position in the monster pit!
10. It was so brilliant to see her grow as artiste, since I last saw her in Singapore in 2009. She promised to be back and she really brought a show to remember. A set that put her relatively unplanned for Fort Canning gig to shame. A presence that evolved and commanded grandiose yet aware that any one of the hundred over shows that she planned for this tour, she must be intimate and find the connection and make every session different.
Truly, the best concert I've ever been to.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Looking Forward
We're all driven by instant gratification, the satisfaction in the now. It's getting harder to look forward, to see further, to take the bitter medicine and hope for the brighter outcome. It's a social thing, as things become more instant. There's magic lost as we lose patience. We lose the ability to appreciate things that come with consistent hard work and more often than not we start feeling like lost causes. We're only engaged when at that very instant, we're speaking to more than one person at once, logged on to more than one social media platform at once, handling more than one device at once.
There's so much to learn from that old-school work ethic of thinking ahead, working hard and pushing through problems - while living in the moment yet not being consumed by it. It's the reason why love was more romantic and epic. It used to last longer too.
Sometimes being happy in the now feels like it's worth everything, now. But it's up to you to weigh the value of the "more" that the future can bring. Do everything with the purpose that it should also pay off later. Things that you grow, nurture, invest in, tend to be more meaningful in the long run so give up on distractions, on things that can only give you the "now" and look forward.
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