I’ve been going to Sweat! since late June (21st to be precise) and people have been asking me about it. If you're interested you can check out their facebook page. The first introductory session for newbies is free so make a date and I could go down with you if you want!
I've waited till now to blog because I wanted to go through enough to gain something from it and see some results before sharing here. Anyway, the place is situated at Cantonment, relatively far from my work place and also far from home, but I keep going back because Sweat! has made working out fun for me and I enjoy the experience.
Working with the trainer and boss, Wai Yee, is great! She's professional, knowledgeable and passionate. The motivation she provides is also priceless. A large part of my improvement in fitness is due to her cheering me on when I thought I was done! The best part about going through the session is knowing that you’re going to get something intense but you can give it your all and you won’t get injured. She'll make sure that you'll be doing it right. For those who have injuries or unable to do the exercises, she can tweak it! So no worries about that.
I remember trying a kettlebell exercise at home and injured my back, causing it to be wonky for awhile. After a couple of sessions back at Sweat! doing the exercises properly, strengthening the smaller muscles around the area that hurt, stretching out the pain, now I’m as good as new.
There’s more than one type of session, the most common being circuit training. With minimal rest after each station, you’re pushed to keep your heart rate up. At the end of it all you feel like you've done a crazy cardio session but at the same time, your muscles are aching like you've lifted an elephant. Amazing. Exercising to the music and hearing the *beep beep beep* signalling the end of each set before counting down the rest time to the start of the next, it’s a cycle that keeps you on your toes and out of breath!
No two sessions are ever the same. That’s the cool part. I’m never bored. I’m always challenged. Every time I step through the door, I don’t know how hard I have to push or what we're going to do. But I know I've to give it my best to make the best of the one hour! There's a lot of co-ordination and balancing work for each station. It’s tough but also fun. It’s FUNctional training, not strength for strength’s sake, or for bulking up. It's what I want for myself and what I believe in. It's what makes me committed.
And that leads me to the next thing, which is learning something new. When faced with something different really refreshing to see what your body can do! I learn to do new variations of exercises, like the push-up, I learn the limits of my endurance, I learn how to move my body in different ways, I learn new stretching techniques, I learn how to have good form, I learn how to balance, I learn to “enjoy the pain”. That keeps me going back for more, the opportunity to train and to learn.
Learning with "classmates" boosts my motivation as well. When the exercises are announced, you can always expect to see someone who, like you, has his eyes wide in shock! I like the feeling of working out in a group – there’s a lot of motivation, people to follow, and the feeling that you’re all in it together. Seeing people who are able to handle it makes you able to handle it. And that’s how I manage to push myself. It’s one big family there, full of familiar faces and it’s nice knowing that you’re not alone.
After going to Sweat! I'm more knowledgeable about how my body works. My approach to fitness has changed. I challenge myself. I've never worked out so hard, even during army. I take it really seriously but it's also a lot of fun.
I feel fitter. Maybe I'll see some improvement in my scores when I take my IPPT next Saturday. I do feel like I'm ready to climb a mountain or something though!
I look fitter. For that, you'll just have to take my word for it!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Halloween Horror Nights 2 - 10 Things
1. Be there at 8pm sharp. You need to get a head start on the crowd. The earlier you are, the more you get to see, the less you have to wait!
2. If you're in the normal queue, don't hate the people with the Express Pass. If you have the Express Pass, don't hate the VIPs. If you're VIP, try not to gloat openly. (R.I.P Tour passes are available for $148.) Moral of the story is be prepared to wait a little and self-entertain!
3. The main attractions are definitely the three Haunted Houses! Hit Death Alley first, to get a taste of the underbelly of Chinatown before putting your gall to the test at the Dungeon of Damnation. It was, for me, the highlight of the event. The last house is The Insanitarium, which is all the way in. Give it a miss if you run out of time!
4. Be brave. You're here for fear. Open your eyes. Peer through the corridors. Keep your eyes trained on nooks and crannies. Every turn a surprise. Watch where you're going. At times, you might even want to look up at the ceiling!
5. Try not to stay too close to the group ahead of you. You'll see all the tricks prematurely. Where's the fun in that!
6. Bring your cameras with you! Handphone cameras don't do the pictures justice in the scare zones. Total Lockdown and Bizarre Bazaar are fantastic, but for different reasons. There's a lot to see and you'll definitely slow down to admire the destruction and er... torture. Very S&M some bits. A+.
7. Rides are open this time round. They're not the essential but if you've time to spare, Battlestar Gallactica's queue moved quickly last night. The Transformers was the absolute best - the future of storytelling, I must say! Amazing, but extremely popular. Average queue time was 60 mins for Express Pass. The Jurassic Park ride was good too and a great way to cool off if you're feeling hot.
8. There's a Halloween musical called Monster Rock at Pantages Hollywood Theater. Take a breather from the heart-arresting attractions and catch the 11.30pm show (but be there at 11.15 for good seats). Great music, energetic dancing... 21 minutes of great entertainment!
9. Don't wear expensive jewellery. We saw this girl looking for her bling on the floor for a good 15 minutes, with staff and friends searching fruitlessly with her, and her throwing a bitch fit. No loose items in general!
10. If you're not scared, play your part and scream a little maybe? It gives the scare actors a bit more motivation and you get a better show! Well, of course, hopefully it doesn't come down to that and you pee in your pants instead.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Justin is the new Britney
Big Hits, Baby
Such a coincidence that their biggest hits have the word "baby" in them. For Bieber, then 16, Baby erupted all over radio as the song you could not escape from. Annoyingly catchy, distinctly bubblegum and possibly childish to the point of puke-worthy, it brought me back to '98, when Spears, then 17, released ...Baby One More Time. I remember feeling the same way - that it was pop at its most straight-forward, catchy and it was a track that was impossible to run away from. I also almost puked when Sometimes was released but radio refused to stop playing BOMT. Both tracks were monster hits and shot them to pop royalty with the music world waiting to see/hear what would happen next. Sonically, Bieber matured faster as the current album straddles between bubble-gum (Beauty and a Beat) and something slightly edgier (Boyfriend). Spears continued to pander to her teen audience with Oops! before hitting the big time with the adventurous Slave 4 U. I'd like to see Bieber find his Slave with the next album. It can only, like Britney's sound, go uphill from there.
Never Say Never...
... to lip-syncing. When you've become such an electrifying performer that the spectacle you put on stage surpasses the need for people to hear you sing live, you lip-syncing. There comes a point in time where you're on huge sold-out tours - the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts - and you've to put on a show! Thankfully Britney has never thrown up on stage with the backing track running (well at least not that I know of), so it was rather unfortunate when it happened to Bieber on the first night of his Believe world tour in late September this year. Regardless, I've seen his recent performances of As Long As You Love Me at the Teen Choice Awards 2012 and his energy, intensity and playful facial expressions reminded me of a young Spears. However Spears is clearly the more tantalising of the two - just look at this A+, take-notes-all-teen-stars performance from the VMAs in 2000. With time, hopefully Bieber will be ready to have his carry-a-snake-around-his-neck or I-kissed-Madonna-and-I-liked-it moment very soon at award shows to come.
Slave
As Bieber makes teen ovaries explode worldwide, Britney did the same to her fans, with many proclaiming "I'm a Slave 4 U Britney!" as she did her rounds in countless magazines, TV appearances, concerts and music videos. Ahh, music videos! They've got that genre under their belts! Also, both teen stars have the media fixated on their every move. Following in Britney's footsteps, Justin's been dating fellow teen-star Selena Gomez. When she had her belly-button pierced, Bieber got tattoos. Growing up in the media spotlight as the biggest teen star of the moment will inevitably give way to The Breakdown. With great success comes pundits taking bets on their big fall and the bigger the fall, the bigger the comeback. (The breakdown is only possible when you've attained an incredible amount of fame and are perched at the top of your game.) I wait with bated breath for Bieber's head-shaving, grabs-umbrella-and-attacks-a-car, Gimme-More-at-the-VMAs moment.
In my crystal ball, Justin looks like he'd be able to capture the world's imagination with the good-kid-gone-bad-gone-good story. Neither of them are Adele, but Bieber has what it takes to be the next Britney. Or he could become a boring, try-too-hard like Christina but I hope that never happens.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Love is like...
Love is like... just another thing that you need to sustain yourself. One shouldn't make a big deal about it. Just like one should not make a big deal about having air to breathe and having food to eat. When it's there... it's just there so you can move on with other aspects in your life. It's not supposed to cause you trouble and you shouldn't put in too much effort into getting it.
The people who are successful in life don't make a big deal out of love. It's there, they have it, they know how to maintain it, nurture it, but it's not what their entire life is about. Their lives are about their passion and their passion is not a someone, but a something. Changing the world with a business, a new innovation, taking part in philanthropy... these are worthwhile pursuits.
We're constantly fed these terrible ideas, from movies, from music, from books, that love is life-changing and how it consumes you and how it's exciting and thrilling and nourishes your being and justifies your existence on this earth. Romance. Romance is a pain in the ass. It's great that people around you have it but it should be equally great if you don't have it. So you can concentrate on the real important issues, you know, like helping kids who need education, people dying from starvation and whether the eventual winner of the US X-Factor will have a #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
At the end of it all commitment is everything. You just need that one person, that one who wants to be together with you as badly as you do. After that you don't have to make a big fuss out of it. Nothing to celebrate, nothing to scream about. You don't have to come up with funny, special things - no anniversaries, no fucking birthdays. Just knowing the person is there should be enough. You draw nourishment from the relationship, just like how you would eat a burger or drink a Coke and then you can do other good things with your life.
I should learn to do just that.
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Gf.Bf
"We should have two lovers. One who loves me, one whom I love."
After spending an hour watching behind-the-scenes footage from the movie's official youtube channel, I've got a glimpse of Yang Ya Che, the director behind this moving piece of work. He's a demanding man, who was hard on his cast and crew, expecting the best from them. He had a vision. He wrote the script like a thesis of sorts. He wanted to make a film showing Taiwan in the 80s, when the three young characters, as well as the territory, was on the precipice of awakening.
The movie spanned three decades and in that time, the backdrop of Taiwan and her people changed visibly. The characters moved on with the times and watching the the three actors push their limits, it was as if you saw nine characters in a single movie!
I particularly liked that it wasn't written with a beginning-middle-end structure that's so prevalent, making films so predictable and you're just staying around for how it happens. Gf.Bf felt more like an experiment, three personalities thrown together and they delivered fireworks! At any one time there was so much tension between them, so much uncertainty, so much struggle it literally took my breath away. They were so intertwined with friendship and love that they couldn't tear themselves apart, like they were destined to be in an endless push and pull with each other.
They fought for freedom from each other and from themselves. Like life, nothing is certain. Sometimes you get what you want, sometimes you don't. You make sacrifices expecting something in return but that's not for sure. Like Yang said, it's a little selfish. You give everything to the one you love, but when you're disappointed and let down and hurt, you should have someone to catch you, someone who loves you, to make that fall a little less painful.
So much was said, but wasn't shown, just hinted at. And that's really masterful use of cinema. I started thinking a lot. And got a bit sad. I thought about my notions of love. I thought about how detached we are from one another, that it takes something to fight for that brings people together and how it's lacking in society now.
I'd watch it again. There's just so much more to uncover.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
King of the Road KL
The day before the race, Firus and I went to collect our race packs at Sunway Pyramid, that was big and at some points, overlooked the amazing Sunway Lagoon where Justin Bieber had performed for MTV World Stage not too long ago. The collection point was full of energy, playing the latest Top 40 music and young folks doling out the goodie bags and manning the registration. There was the standard adidas stuff like apparel and their latest shoes.
When we collected our race packs, Firus got the ultimate lucky number (C3888) and the helpers made sure that he knew! The horrible fella was overjoyed and promised to frame his number tag!
The running route was basically going up and down one of the major expressways, NPE highway. The challenge was getting there. Despite staying in a hotel that was relatively near, it was tough for a cab to bring us in the next day as the roads were being blocked. We could walk. But that would take us a good 40 mins! A good warm up but I'm not sure I had the strength to endure all that!
The next day we woke up at 5. As you can tell it's a lot earlier than I'm used to.. thus this stoned face! Strategically, we chose to take a cab and with luck, he managed to take us through the smaller roads to the residential area that was just behind the expressway.
We made walked there and it was really exciting to see the expressway signs flash stuff like- "this road will be closed for adidas king of the road" and "check Twitter for updates on the traffic situation". Very good use of social media!
As we continued walking, we were joined by runners and I went from being groggy to mildly excited. The road was huge compared to what I was used to back home. It was fantastic seeing everyone so enthusiastic, doing their stretching and warm-up jogs up and down and the highway when it was still pitch black. We did our own preparation as the crowd began to swell.
Standing behind the starting line, we heard the excited chatter of the runners, with some whipping out their cameras for pictures and others updating their facebook status. From their running attire, we spotted people from Singapore and many others from different parts of Malaysia, runners of marathons, school teams, state sportsmen all psyched and ready to go! The runners burst forth when the horn went off and there was this amazing drumming by some folks on the side, which I remember correctly, was possibly a school band. On the way back there would be a rousing group of percussionists, this time made of traditional drums and the like.
It was slightly smokey and the sky was still dark when we started, with houses lined along the side. Soon enough we hit the toll booths and it wasn't a breath-taking sight but it just struck me as utterly amazing to be able to set foot on this place normally reserved for vehicles! I thought it was funny and awesome at the same time!
Past that, the road got really wide and there was a lot of room for overtaking or running at your own pace. Being relatively out of shape and having not trained sufficiently, it took a lot of effort for me to hit the halfway mark of this 16.8km run!
On the home stretch, we were joined by runners who did the 10km race, with most of them tired out and walking. By then my legs were hurting like mad and I joined the crowd in their walk! After a cup or two of 100 Plus on the side I continued running, hobbling a bit as I finally crossed the finish line.
I confess to being ill-prepared but I enjoyed every moment of it. The crowd, the atmosphere and the sights were all fresh to me and it was great to be among everyone who fought so hard to conquer the distance and reach the end.
The majestic sight of Sunway Pyramid.
One of the cool things about this run was the different running tees that designed for the race! There were 3 for men and 3 for women so there was an amazing splash of colour as all the runners gathered at the end, taking photos and whatnot.
Firus was a good ten minutes in front of me. I really should've pushed myself harder! I was wearing the wrong shoes though so by the end of it all I couldn't wait to get my feet out of them and give them a break.
After that we, had a good meal at what I understand to be restoran kegemaran malaysia - KFC - overlooking the Sunway Lagoon. It was value for money and accompanied with a good view, possibly the best, most relaxing breakfast that I could have after the race.
Despite the pain (wow, the run really made my legs look good) I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. It was the highlight of this trip, definitely, and I've realised that this is the kind of stuff that gets me excited when I travel. It was a great experience, something "hardcore", something I'd remember for quite awhile. I'm keen to do other races overseas and when I travel in the future, I look forward to being part of something amazing, full of cheer and spirit, just like adidas' king of the road kl.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Friends from Overseas
When we stepped into the ballroom, the atmosphere was at fever pitch. And there was nothing. The event had not started but the clappers were being used with full force. There was a lot of whistling and cheering as our enthusiastic Indian workers went up on stage excitedly to take photos with the backdrop, something for them to share with their families when they went back.
It was the first time in six years that we had a Dinner and Dance and possibly the first time that all workers were invited to attend. There was so much riding on the success of this one, and it turned out to be a huge rallying call for everyone. Getting together and having a good time, the spirit of good cheer was overwhelming. For most of us, it's something we never had the chance to experience and for quite a lot of them, it must have bordered on the uncomfortable. We had a sizable crowd of PRCs, Bangladeshis, and to a smaller extent Malaysians and Filipinos but it was the Indian crowd that brought the house down with their catcalls and passion to dance. Reminded me of the Lady Gaga concert. That's the level of intensity that we had!
I loved that they really knew how to party (and thankfully nothing got out of hand). We had F1 Grid Girls and these "Desert Rose" dancers that whipped them into a frenzy. I was impressed by how well-behaved they were and laughed when a colleague told me that their supervisors had briefed them, saying that if they "anyhow touch the girls, straightaway go jail"! They were really into the music, whether it's singing or dancing, they cheered especially loud when Shakira's Waka Waka came on. There's a common denominator in there, somewhere.
My favourite part was when the Indian guys from one of our production departments took the stage during the talent competition, dancing Michael Jackson's Dangerous. Electrifying. The smoke machine went on overdrive and the lights guy gave them dizzying flashes of white light like they were in the Thriller video! Supporters rushed to the front of the stage, whipping out their camera phones to record the spectacle and the most exciting part for me, was that the performance was really good. They went on to win the competition, with prize being an $800 cash voucher and a huge-ass, ridiculously heavy trophy.
Organising the event made me aware of how insufficient my knowledge was of them, as well as the other foreign workers that make up our company. I was also struck by how much more that I could done to reach out to them in my daily work.
No doubt there's a language barrier and for me, that's always one of the most painful challenges in communication. I'm only fluent in English. When a Chinese dude comes to the HR counter and asks for help regarding his work permit/employment pass/something something, I at such a loss that I become the one who requires help! But there was a moment last night when my colleague, amid mayhem, told me that the Indians were really good at wolf-whistling. I spotted this guy standing behind me whose whistle reverberated around the huge hall and I looked at him, a little bit in awe, while saying and gesturing to my colleague over the noise that I couldn't do that, ever. The guy smiled at me, before firing off another whistle that joined the happy cheers of the rest of them.
It was the first time in six years that we had a Dinner and Dance and possibly the first time that all workers were invited to attend. There was so much riding on the success of this one, and it turned out to be a huge rallying call for everyone. Getting together and having a good time, the spirit of good cheer was overwhelming. For most of us, it's something we never had the chance to experience and for quite a lot of them, it must have bordered on the uncomfortable. We had a sizable crowd of PRCs, Bangladeshis, and to a smaller extent Malaysians and Filipinos but it was the Indian crowd that brought the house down with their catcalls and passion to dance. Reminded me of the Lady Gaga concert. That's the level of intensity that we had!
I loved that they really knew how to party (and thankfully nothing got out of hand). We had F1 Grid Girls and these "Desert Rose" dancers that whipped them into a frenzy. I was impressed by how well-behaved they were and laughed when a colleague told me that their supervisors had briefed them, saying that if they "anyhow touch the girls, straightaway go jail"! They were really into the music, whether it's singing or dancing, they cheered especially loud when Shakira's Waka Waka came on. There's a common denominator in there, somewhere.
My favourite part was when the Indian guys from one of our production departments took the stage during the talent competition, dancing Michael Jackson's Dangerous. Electrifying. The smoke machine went on overdrive and the lights guy gave them dizzying flashes of white light like they were in the Thriller video! Supporters rushed to the front of the stage, whipping out their camera phones to record the spectacle and the most exciting part for me, was that the performance was really good. They went on to win the competition, with prize being an $800 cash voucher and a huge-ass, ridiculously heavy trophy.
Organising the event made me aware of how insufficient my knowledge was of them, as well as the other foreign workers that make up our company. I was also struck by how much more that I could done to reach out to them in my daily work.
No doubt there's a language barrier and for me, that's always one of the most painful challenges in communication. I'm only fluent in English. When a Chinese dude comes to the HR counter and asks for help regarding his work permit/employment pass/something something, I at such a loss that I become the one who requires help! But there was a moment last night when my colleague, amid mayhem, told me that the Indians were really good at wolf-whistling. I spotted this guy standing behind me whose whistle reverberated around the huge hall and I looked at him, a little bit in awe, while saying and gesturing to my colleague over the noise that I couldn't do that, ever. The guy smiled at me, before firing off another whistle that joined the happy cheers of the rest of them.
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
It's all about the storytelling. It's about the narrative. For me it's never about the action, about the explosions. it's about the human aspect, the emotions, the morals, the thoughts, the conflict that happens inside.
And The Dark Knight Rises delivered. Full of conflicted characters, their imperfections took turns in the spotlight. Portrayed by a stellar cast, you had the police inspector's story - his burden of deceiving the public about the truth about Two-Face; the junior police who came from an orphanage; Batman who was thoroughly "destroyed" and went into hiding; Catwoman and her struggle to start anew; Bane, a mercenary from a dark place with a soft spot for a kid and the kid who turned out to be much more than meets the eye. It was thrilling see their fates and destinies woven together. Their steely determination made their struggle to come up on top of each other gripping to witness.
Christopher Nolan knew what was important. This movie didn't rely on marketing like The Avengers, which turned out to be nothing more than a really cliched, Power Rangers-esque flick; or the strength of it's actors (Hello Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield). It was a solid story that pulled its weight and plenty of punches, and not just literally!
Inception was all about a dream within a dream and TDKR is kind of like that - a story within a story. The most gripping was the "fable" of the kid escaping the prison. We are taken through it via multiple story-tellers and that leap of faith was just so vivid, so insistent that I couldn't get it out of my head. It tied up the movie really well - look forward, jump without a safety net, then only you can leave the darkness, escape, start afresh.
Which, at the end of the movie, was exactly what happened for all the good guys.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
That NDP Spirit
So we thought to start small. We've done telematches for kids. That was fun. This time round we're trying to celebrate National Day with SPD and we came up with a simple programme - singing National Day songs. When the volunteers arrived we got off to a slow start as there weren't many people. More came and we built on their momentum. My intern joined in as well!
There were a few good singers in the group and slowly, everyone started to find their groove. I realised that it wasn't easy for people who weren't used to singing, to sing.
Count On Me Singapore, Stand Up for Singapore, One People One Nation One Singapore and Home. So much nostalgia and so much magic to revisit these songs. I had fun singing but more importantly, it was great to see my colleagues come together, peek out of their comfort zone, and create a special atmosphere with their voices. Amazing, amazing stuff.
The part that was of most value to me was seeing my colleagues have a laugh at each other, breaking the ice... Having fun.
I've always thought that internal communications meant that - building a company culture, contributing to a "family", getting to know each other, getting closer to one another. I hope that comes through in my work and all I do.
I'm looking forward to bringing our performance to SPD and possibly, brewing a bit of magic with our company spirit and the National Day celebrations.
There were a few good singers in the group and slowly, everyone started to find their groove. I realised that it wasn't easy for people who weren't used to singing, to sing.
Count On Me Singapore, Stand Up for Singapore, One People One Nation One Singapore and Home. So much nostalgia and so much magic to revisit these songs. I had fun singing but more importantly, it was great to see my colleagues come together, peek out of their comfort zone, and create a special atmosphere with their voices. Amazing, amazing stuff.
The part that was of most value to me was seeing my colleagues have a laugh at each other, breaking the ice... Having fun.
I've always thought that internal communications meant that - building a company culture, contributing to a "family", getting to know each other, getting closer to one another. I hope that comes through in my work and all I do.
I'm looking forward to bringing our performance to SPD and possibly, brewing a bit of magic with our company spirit and the National Day celebrations.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
First Anniversary
It's quite a milestone, the first year in the workforce. As with most things, I went with my gut. I didn't get a lot of offers and when I got this, I accepted it readily. I didn't know that quite a few people interviewed for my position. I just thought that ti'd be fun to do communications in a steel manufacturing company.
No, but seriously. How cool is that!
One year on I'm pleasantly surprised that despite the travel to work, which I despise, I'm quite happy working here. I can see myself staying on for awhile. I have my fingers in quite a few pies (very me). I've nice colleagues. I've had good opportunities. I learn something new all the time, interact with new people all the time. It's good fun.
That's what I think work is, I guess. I hope I'll be inspired, that I'd enjoy doing it. Every problem is just something that needs to be dealt with and not an obstacle. The tougher the job, the greater the satisfaction. I think I'm still getting the hang of that. Despite being grateful I still complain a bit at times! Need to tone that down. But so far so good.
Many good years ahead.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Music in the UK
I cannot describe the thrill from downloading my favourite songs from iTunes.
I've been digging out a couple of old songs from memory. In the early '00s I was obsessed with the music that was coming out of the UK. There were cheesy #1s (yes the stations were forced to play Bob The Builder when Can We Fix It? became #1) and there were epic chart battles (S Club's Reach lost to Sonique's Feels So Good, which went on to stay #1 for 3 weeks). Those were the songs of my life and truth be told, not many of my friends were in sync with the music I was in to.
I loved the distinctly British sound and character, always quirky, fun, never taking itself too seriously, yet producing some of the most wonderful voices (Gabrielle and Simply Red spring to mind). There were the amazing dance-tracks that ruled the chart, those days were DJs could be number one with epic dance tracks that spun and gained fame in the underground before exploding into mainstream consciousness (Roger Sanchez's Another Chance, Rui Da Silva's Touch Me). There were the already mainstream acts like Atomic Kitten, Blue, Kylie and Daniel Bedingfield, S Club 7, who relentless notched up hits every couple of months. The Spice Girls broke up and found #1s - Geri Halliwell's Bag It Up, Mel C's I Turn To You, Emma Bunton's What Took You So Long?. Victoria Beckham bagged a huge, huge #2 with Out Of Your Mind (I bought the physical, CD single), losing out by a small margin to Sophie Ellis-Baxtor's Groovejet!
To me there's always a bit of magic in British music. Something unexpected, something surprising. The songs on the chart don't sound much like each other - it's hard to capture in a single adjective (except those Westlife singles, for which the word would be "bleargh!").
My favourite artistes (except Britney Spears) have all come from the UK. However it took a relatively young, unknown, dramatic songstress (not you Cheryl) to blow everyone worldwide out of the water with her amazing vocals very very recently. It's about time, you know, for British music to surface to English-speaking territories far and wide instead of rolling in the deep.
I've been digging out a couple of old songs from memory. In the early '00s I was obsessed with the music that was coming out of the UK. There were cheesy #1s (yes the stations were forced to play Bob The Builder when Can We Fix It? became #1) and there were epic chart battles (S Club's Reach lost to Sonique's Feels So Good, which went on to stay #1 for 3 weeks). Those were the songs of my life and truth be told, not many of my friends were in sync with the music I was in to.
I loved the distinctly British sound and character, always quirky, fun, never taking itself too seriously, yet producing some of the most wonderful voices (Gabrielle and Simply Red spring to mind). There were the amazing dance-tracks that ruled the chart, those days were DJs could be number one with epic dance tracks that spun and gained fame in the underground before exploding into mainstream consciousness (Roger Sanchez's Another Chance, Rui Da Silva's Touch Me). There were the already mainstream acts like Atomic Kitten, Blue, Kylie and Daniel Bedingfield, S Club 7, who relentless notched up hits every couple of months. The Spice Girls broke up and found #1s - Geri Halliwell's Bag It Up, Mel C's I Turn To You, Emma Bunton's What Took You So Long?. Victoria Beckham bagged a huge, huge #2 with Out Of Your Mind (I bought the physical, CD single), losing out by a small margin to Sophie Ellis-Baxtor's Groovejet!
To me there's always a bit of magic in British music. Something unexpected, something surprising. The songs on the chart don't sound much like each other - it's hard to capture in a single adjective (except those Westlife singles, for which the word would be "bleargh!").
My favourite artistes (except Britney Spears) have all come from the UK. However it took a relatively young, unknown, dramatic songstress (not you Cheryl) to blow everyone worldwide out of the water with her amazing vocals very very recently. It's about time, you know, for British music to surface to English-speaking territories far and wide instead of rolling in the deep.
Sunday, July 08, 2012
This Body of Mine
It gets on my nerves when people comment on my physique, thinking that I need to look a certain way, that I'm too scrawny and I need to bulk up.
With me it has always been function over form. I want my body to be able climb mountains, to react to danger, to play sports, to run marathons, to carry groceries.
Yes, I may be vain at times. But I'm at the point in my life that the "look" isn't such a big deal any more.
There's so much more to fitness and sports than fitting perfectly into a T-shirt. There's so much to be gained from pursuing passion, standing for something, displaying sportsmanship and from there, celebrating the human spirit. I respect my peers for being interesting, changing things up, keeping at it and not giving up. One of my friends is an avid runner. From participating in every single race I've heard, to travelling to Australia for a marathon and ending up in hospital, he is the kind of guy I respect. He has a story. His journey has meaning. His spirit is inspiring.
What I put my body through will not be for vanity. It'll be because I like being active. I'd like to let people know that they can push themselves more. I want to stand for something. It's the one thing that I had with me since I was young; it's the only thing that will be with me till I die. This body, bones, muscles, scars and all, is my temple.
What I achieve with it will always be more important than how it looks.
Sunday, July 01, 2012
Half-Time Commentary
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
The Cut
It's very easy to get comfortable and be at the mercy of someone else. You feel your emotions go into extremes and you get uncomfortable because you're too comfortable, that you can't imagine why you're held hostage to your emotions when they are clearly your own. You try to strike a balance and hang on to your sanity but you're not always successful. The harder you claw the more it slips away. You give and you take and you take and you give but somehow the exchange never seems enough. At least not until you feel like you're bleeding but you've got no more blood to give. You feel shortchanged but you never stop because you hope for more. One can always hope, it doesn't cost much, just logic in exchange for some disillusionment. There's beauty in clouded truth, in masked pain. It's never perfect until it contains some imperfection, some brutal scar that becomes the signature of the picture, that sticks out, that rings true, that cuts you open and makes you feel so raw. That will be something you remember forever.
That's love.
That's love.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Destination Darwin: Into the Wild
The crown jewel of tours in Darwin, is the Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise.
Looking at the headlines of the Northern Territory over the years and you get a good idea of how crocodiles are a huge part of their lives, welcomed or otherwise!
Before getting on board, they brought out a couple of animals such as a snake and this ridiculously cute baby wallaby. Its mom got knocked down on the highway and they managed to save the little one. It seems happy being taken care by humans but Darwin's really not short of wallabies!
The cruise brings you down a short stretch of Adelaide River, but already it feels like another world out there. Gigantic saltwater crocs leap out of the water, in your face, and so close that you could touch them, if you don't mind losing an arm! It's a wicked feeling watching them approach the bait. They swim diagonally towards the boat, always using the fact that its eyes are on both sides of its head to its advantage. One eye on the bait, one eye on you. No funny business.
Now that's quite a scary sight isn't it! Generally crocs that grow to a grand age and a huge length like this one, are more cautious or their carelessness would've cost them their life! One of the crocs was missing a leg, but swam normally and was as ferocious as any other.
If that hasn't put you off crocodiles, head this way for more fantastic photos by your truly of the crocodiles gathering speed and making a leap out of the water, exposing their gorgeous white bellies and showing why, after a gazillion years, these creatures have not changed much. Undoubtedly one of the most powerful hunters on Earth!
We got a special treat when they also fed the kites!
These birds swooped down one after another, giving each other a go at the meat that was being thrown to them. They flew towards our seasoned guide - right in front of us - as if it were an airport run way! It was the most amazing experience getting up close with them.
And here I am, getting up close and personal with a croc. ;)
After that we got up our mini-bus, which was christened "Loose Mary" as "she'd been around a lot"! The bus was small-ish and much less powerful that what our guide, Nick, was used to. Apparently there was a flood that only subsided a couple of days before and there was some damage being dealt to the road that leading to our next destination, the Wildman Wilderness Lodge, which was why we had to ride Loose Mary.
The Wildman Wilderness Lodge was nothing short of stunning. We reached there in the late afternoon, just as the sun was going down and were unbelievably excited about getting the opportunity to stay there. We were face-to-face with the wetlands, plenty of wallabies and it seemed as though we were living among the termite nests. We were that close to nature!
Opposite the reception was a small corner full of memorabilia. Didn't buy any, which was a pity but I'm sure I'll be back!
We were greeted by the yummy welcome drinks and Jason, who ran the place. He was extremely warm and welcoming and that was a really comforting feeling because we were really in the middle of nowhere and it was great to have this guy who was confidently in charge, introducing the lodge and its surroundings to us.
Looking at the headlines of the Northern Territory over the years and you get a good idea of how crocodiles are a huge part of their lives, welcomed or otherwise!
Before getting on board, they brought out a couple of animals such as a snake and this ridiculously cute baby wallaby. Its mom got knocked down on the highway and they managed to save the little one. It seems happy being taken care by humans but Darwin's really not short of wallabies!
The cruise brings you down a short stretch of Adelaide River, but already it feels like another world out there. Gigantic saltwater crocs leap out of the water, in your face, and so close that you could touch them, if you don't mind losing an arm! It's a wicked feeling watching them approach the bait. They swim diagonally towards the boat, always using the fact that its eyes are on both sides of its head to its advantage. One eye on the bait, one eye on you. No funny business.
Now that's quite a scary sight isn't it! Generally crocs that grow to a grand age and a huge length like this one, are more cautious or their carelessness would've cost them their life! One of the crocs was missing a leg, but swam normally and was as ferocious as any other.
If that hasn't put you off crocodiles, head this way for more fantastic photos by your truly of the crocodiles gathering speed and making a leap out of the water, exposing their gorgeous white bellies and showing why, after a gazillion years, these creatures have not changed much. Undoubtedly one of the most powerful hunters on Earth!
We got a special treat when they also fed the kites!
These birds swooped down one after another, giving each other a go at the meat that was being thrown to them. They flew towards our seasoned guide - right in front of us - as if it were an airport run way! It was the most amazing experience getting up close with them.
And here I am, getting up close and personal with a croc. ;)
After that we got up our mini-bus, which was christened "Loose Mary" as "she'd been around a lot"! The bus was small-ish and much less powerful that what our guide, Nick, was used to. Apparently there was a flood that only subsided a couple of days before and there was some damage being dealt to the road that leading to our next destination, the Wildman Wilderness Lodge, which was why we had to ride Loose Mary.
The Wildman Wilderness Lodge was nothing short of stunning. We reached there in the late afternoon, just as the sun was going down and were unbelievably excited about getting the opportunity to stay there. We were face-to-face with the wetlands, plenty of wallabies and it seemed as though we were living among the termite nests. We were that close to nature!
Opposite the reception was a small corner full of memorabilia. Didn't buy any, which was a pity but I'm sure I'll be back!
We were greeted by the yummy welcome drinks and Jason, who ran the place. He was extremely warm and welcoming and that was a really comforting feeling because we were really in the middle of nowhere and it was great to have this guy who was confidently in charge, introducing the lodge and its surroundings to us.
There were two types of accomodation - the air-conditioned and fully-sealed Habitat, which was where Edric and I stayed, and the more adventurous, Safari Tent. There was quite a bit of difference when night fell as it became the only place for miles around that had light. Inevitably, insects swarmed around and you really need to be armed with more than just a lack of fear of insects to be able get on top the situation!
Aside from that, I'm not sure if you can see this strip of bare, grass-less land in front of the Habitat. We asked around and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a freaking runway for planes, should you be inclined to fly to the Wildman Wilderness Lodge.
The Habitat is really gorgeous, really comfortable and you feel safe from the elements being in it! For some people, it might defeat the purpose of coming all the way here, but for those who want hotel-like luxury, Habitat's truly got it.
The shower's rather exciting too - there's a glass panel reaching all the way to your feet, so you can be as naked as the wallabies looking at you taking your shower! (There're no promises that other guests won't walk in front of your lodge, but the staff will only come round the back) For the more inhibited, you could lower the blinds, which is certainly not as thrilling as showering with the full view of the Mary River Wetlands. As conservatively (NOT!) Asian as I am I'd feel a little more comfortable if it was frosted bottom-up till my crotch maybe, but it was a really cool experience!
Gorgeous.
The dining area had a bar, and this cosy corner where you could look out into the sunset. You could take a dip in the pool too.
Having a wine in hand in the midst of soft chatter, and being out there, out in the wide open space, was just liberating. The temperature dipped but we had a little fireplace...
... where we saw the birds fly off across the magnificent orange sky.
Dinner was not too bad, with exotic Australian fare - crocodile and kangaroo meat - and yes, the bugs were a bit much but you learn to take it in your stride. I's definitely one of the more exciting aspects of the dinner, being bugged by bugs, but it was bearable and after that, we ran to take shelter in the air-conditioned bar.
Staff at the lodge came from all over the world. This young lady, told us of how she was hiding in the staff quarters when the aforementioned thunderstorm, that caused the roads to breakdown. The water came so close to where they were living that there was a distinct dangerous possibility of crocodiles having them for a meal!
It was during our chats that we also learned that Nick, our guide, studied to be a lawyer before embarking on this crazy job that required him to drive visitors to lodges and show them Australia!
***
We woke up the next morning to a simple breakfast and continued exploring the area. There was supposed to be a walk at daybreak, which got cancelled, again due to the weather the past few days and some bits of the trail being submerged in water.
This is the tent, which some of our friends slept in. It doesn't look half bad but from what I heard it might become a little challenging to stay in at night, well, because of the bug situation!
The wallabies watched us closely, never allowing us to get too close.
Lucky them! They got a short ride around the premises.
There were plenty of birds as well, perched on the trees nearby.
What a grand tree!
We headed off a couple of hours later for Litchfield National Park! I was really amazed by the parks - how they had really great paths / routes to follow, useful maps and signs. You could drive in and visit the attractions one by one on your own and it wouldn't be more difficult than, say, visiting the convenience store to buy groceries! It was well-maintained and I believe the experienced park rangers and other folks kept the places under close watch, careful to let the public know if the pools were safe for swimming or merely looking.
With that many crocodiles in the area, you can never be too sure.
We visited Wangi Falls, which was nice, but not as spectacular as the Florence Falls where we all tried to get "into" the falls before realising that we weren't as powerful swimmers as we thought we were! We had a lot of fun though. The water was refreshingly cool and there weren't too many people visiting. We practically had the place to ourselves.
There were toilets and places to get changed too so you never feel that you're too far from basic amenities.
I was really sorry to leave but was really thankful for the chance to be there! The climb back up took my breath away in more ways than one...
... but the feeling of being in the middle of nature was well worth it!
Next up - how I spent a day alone in Darwin!
Aside from that, I'm not sure if you can see this strip of bare, grass-less land in front of the Habitat. We asked around and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a freaking runway for planes, should you be inclined to fly to the Wildman Wilderness Lodge.
The Habitat is really gorgeous, really comfortable and you feel safe from the elements being in it! For some people, it might defeat the purpose of coming all the way here, but for those who want hotel-like luxury, Habitat's truly got it.
The shower's rather exciting too - there's a glass panel reaching all the way to your feet, so you can be as naked as the wallabies looking at you taking your shower! (There're no promises that other guests won't walk in front of your lodge, but the staff will only come round the back) For the more inhibited, you could lower the blinds, which is certainly not as thrilling as showering with the full view of the Mary River Wetlands. As conservatively (NOT!) Asian as I am I'd feel a little more comfortable if it was frosted bottom-up till my crotch maybe, but it was a really cool experience!
Gorgeous.
The dining area had a bar, and this cosy corner where you could look out into the sunset. You could take a dip in the pool too.
Having a wine in hand in the midst of soft chatter, and being out there, out in the wide open space, was just liberating. The temperature dipped but we had a little fireplace...
... where we saw the birds fly off across the magnificent orange sky.
Dinner was not too bad, with exotic Australian fare - crocodile and kangaroo meat - and yes, the bugs were a bit much but you learn to take it in your stride. I's definitely one of the more exciting aspects of the dinner, being bugged by bugs, but it was bearable and after that, we ran to take shelter in the air-conditioned bar.
Staff at the lodge came from all over the world. This young lady, told us of how she was hiding in the staff quarters when the aforementioned thunderstorm, that caused the roads to breakdown. The water came so close to where they were living that there was a distinct dangerous possibility of crocodiles having them for a meal!
It was during our chats that we also learned that Nick, our guide, studied to be a lawyer before embarking on this crazy job that required him to drive visitors to lodges and show them Australia!
***
We woke up the next morning to a simple breakfast and continued exploring the area. There was supposed to be a walk at daybreak, which got cancelled, again due to the weather the past few days and some bits of the trail being submerged in water.
This is the tent, which some of our friends slept in. It doesn't look half bad but from what I heard it might become a little challenging to stay in at night, well, because of the bug situation!
The wallabies watched us closely, never allowing us to get too close.
Lucky them! They got a short ride around the premises.
There were plenty of birds as well, perched on the trees nearby.
What a grand tree!
We headed off a couple of hours later for Litchfield National Park! I was really amazed by the parks - how they had really great paths / routes to follow, useful maps and signs. You could drive in and visit the attractions one by one on your own and it wouldn't be more difficult than, say, visiting the convenience store to buy groceries! It was well-maintained and I believe the experienced park rangers and other folks kept the places under close watch, careful to let the public know if the pools were safe for swimming or merely looking.
With that many crocodiles in the area, you can never be too sure.
We visited Wangi Falls, which was nice, but not as spectacular as the Florence Falls where we all tried to get "into" the falls before realising that we weren't as powerful swimmers as we thought we were! We had a lot of fun though. The water was refreshingly cool and there weren't too many people visiting. We practically had the place to ourselves.
There were toilets and places to get changed too so you never feel that you're too far from basic amenities.
I was really sorry to leave but was really thankful for the chance to be there! The climb back up took my breath away in more ways than one...
... but the feeling of being in the middle of nature was well worth it!
Next up - how I spent a day alone in Darwin!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
At Odds
I want to be in a club, music blasting, head spinning, dancing and dancing till the world ends.
I want to be by the beach, in the sun, peering at everyone behind my sunglasses, drink in hand and dreaming about nothing.
I want to be in my bed, wrapped up in the sheets, beside a hot cup of Earl Grey, holding on to my Samsung Galaxy Tab, reading, with the rain pelting down on the windows.
I want to be meeting people from all walks of life, every second of the day, indulging in priceless conversation, with me listening at rapt attention.
I want to be alone, shut everything out, maybe with a bit of music, but alone with my own thoughts, till I figure out what I'm thinking.
I want to be the one that everyone knows, that everyone is proud to know, that everyone wants to talk to, that everyone has an opinion about.
I want to be with the same group of close friends and family all the time, because I know I don't need more and they'll always be there and I can always be me.
I want to be the owner of a house on the fortieth floor with a view of the sunset, like an egg yolk sinking into the ocean, and a dog resting at my ankles.
I want to be in a village, full of children speaking a language I don't understand, waking up to the cold and the sound of chickens under my house on stilts.
I want to be a writer.
I want to be a singer.
I want to be a host.
I want to be...
Maybe I should first aim to be someone with less contradictions eh?
I want to be by the beach, in the sun, peering at everyone behind my sunglasses, drink in hand and dreaming about nothing.
I want to be in my bed, wrapped up in the sheets, beside a hot cup of Earl Grey, holding on to my Samsung Galaxy Tab, reading, with the rain pelting down on the windows.
I want to be meeting people from all walks of life, every second of the day, indulging in priceless conversation, with me listening at rapt attention.
I want to be alone, shut everything out, maybe with a bit of music, but alone with my own thoughts, till I figure out what I'm thinking.
I want to be the one that everyone knows, that everyone is proud to know, that everyone wants to talk to, that everyone has an opinion about.
I want to be with the same group of close friends and family all the time, because I know I don't need more and they'll always be there and I can always be me.
I want to be the owner of a house on the fortieth floor with a view of the sunset, like an egg yolk sinking into the ocean, and a dog resting at my ankles.
I want to be in a village, full of children speaking a language I don't understand, waking up to the cold and the sound of chickens under my house on stilts.
I want to be a writer.
I want to be a singer.
I want to be a host.
I want to be...
Maybe I should first aim to be someone with less contradictions eh?
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Personality Dilution
There's so much on social media and they come in so many different forms nowadays that I can't even keep track! I've just added Instagram to my repertoire, sticking another finger into the pie.
The thing with social media is as much as you put yourself out there, you're heavily influenced, as much as you are an influencer. There's so much out there screaming for your attention - a gossip headline, a new project, a friend's wedding, a mundane complaint, a blockbuster movie, a topless celebrity - that sometimes it's a little overwhelming.
There's so much influence and so much noise, cajoling, berating, persuading you to read certain articles, take interest in certain things or live your life a certain way. And because we're often bombarded by so many messages it's so easy to get sucked in to all that's meaningless. With that there's also a certain urge to stalk and take interest in all things that are clearly none of your business. I do it so often that I can't help myself. It's that urge to check for updates, non-stop and never giving the brain a break.
And now I feel a bit burned out.
Have we cheapened communication? I hope not. I'd like to think that I'm more informed and that the exposure makes my thoughts less one-dimensional, that I know what's going on around me, and I'm more aware of others' point-of-view. But at the same time I stop and ask myself: Why am I doing this? What am I putting out there? What am I letting in, what am I allowing to shape my beliefs and priorities?
I realise that until I know the answers, or at least make the effort to look for them, I'll just be another person blindly posting content like anybody else and contented with the illusion that somebody cares, when I know I can do much better than that.
The thing with social media is as much as you put yourself out there, you're heavily influenced, as much as you are an influencer. There's so much out there screaming for your attention - a gossip headline, a new project, a friend's wedding, a mundane complaint, a blockbuster movie, a topless celebrity - that sometimes it's a little overwhelming.
There's so much influence and so much noise, cajoling, berating, persuading you to read certain articles, take interest in certain things or live your life a certain way. And because we're often bombarded by so many messages it's so easy to get sucked in to all that's meaningless. With that there's also a certain urge to stalk and take interest in all things that are clearly none of your business. I do it so often that I can't help myself. It's that urge to check for updates, non-stop and never giving the brain a break.
And now I feel a bit burned out.
Have we cheapened communication? I hope not. I'd like to think that I'm more informed and that the exposure makes my thoughts less one-dimensional, that I know what's going on around me, and I'm more aware of others' point-of-view. But at the same time I stop and ask myself: Why am I doing this? What am I putting out there? What am I letting in, what am I allowing to shape my beliefs and priorities?
I realise that until I know the answers, or at least make the effort to look for them, I'll just be another person blindly posting content like anybody else and contented with the illusion that somebody cares, when I know I can do much better than that.
Friday, April 06, 2012
Destination Darwin: The First Step
Who would've thought that my first step on Australian soil would be taken in sunny Darwin? When we got off the inaugural SilkAir flight, the heat was the first thing that I remembered. The locals, though, were definitely warmer. Their hospitality was amazing. They greeted with, "How's it going?", which is not only a "Hello!" but the beginning of a conversation.
We made our way to Medina Grand Darwin Waterfront & Vibe Hotel Darwin, which was located at the Darwin Waterfront. We felt like we were in another world as we made our way there by coach. It wasn't crowded, the buildings didn't tower over us and the traffic was smooth. Immediately I felt more relaxed.
Upon checking in to the hotel, we had a wonderfully expensive (by Singaporean standards) lunch at the Curve. It was well worth the money - especially my tapas of sausage and prawn. It was delightfully flavourful, with the strong sour juices soaked up by the slightly salty sausage and the fresh prawns, that were slightly more dry than expected. It was almost as if every fibre of the prawn could be tasted!
We made our way to the Darwin CBD area where the streets were uncomplicated and quiet. It was approaching 6pm and the shops were closed. It seemed that most people had gotten off work as the area started to transform, flirting with its charming night-life of pubs and restaurants.
The first attraction we visited was the Crocosaurs Cove - a zoo for crocodiles in the middle of the CBD! It was home to the famous Cage of Death, where visitors were housed in a glass tank before being put into the enclosure with crocodiles the length of a bus!
It was cleverly chosen for SilkAir's launch event of this new route to Darwin. We had the chance to rub shoulders with representatives from Tourism NT, listen to a snippet of Aboriginal music, munch on crocodile meat, drink some beer and make merry. The highlight, however, was when we got to feed the crocodiles with a fishing rod. The crocodiles were young, probably about 2-3 years old and an eighth of meter in length. We were thrilled for the opportunity to be in such proximity and interact with these creatures.
The next morning, we went for the Batji Walking Tour, where we got to learn about the Larrakia people. Robert brought us on the tour and shared interesting facts about the Aboriginal culture, such as showing us where "Woman Land" and "Man Land" were and how they used fire and smoke signals to communicate with other people from across the sea. He also did a special welcoming ceremony for us. Being welcomed by the Aboriginal people was not just permission to be on their land, but to also bless us with a safe journey ahead.
Shopping was something we were familiar with and we had the chance to take a look at the luxury items from Di Croco and Paspaley. The former sells products made of crocodile leather while the latter housed gorgeous pearls. It was a relief to be in a place with air-conditioning. I'm an outdoors person but it was truly hot! I had my eye on the crocodile laptop case and got to try on a manly pearl necklace while having a flute of champagne. Some of the leather stuff like keychains went for about 25 - 35 AUD. I regretted not getting them! The pearl necklace was about 7000 AUD. Well, I'll get that too - it's only a matter of time!
Before having our lunch at Il Lido Restaurant, we went for a splash at the Wave Pool which was situated at the Waterfront, just in front of our hotel. The crowd was relatively young, playful and out for a good time. The guys on duty were terrific as well, helping us get up on our boards as we body-surfed the waves. It was a terrific experience - I went at it again and again and was amazed at how far I could ride the wave!
My next aim would be to stand up on the board and really surf! I wonder when that would happen. Haha...
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