Singapore Community Day 2007 - Brisbane

Find the rest @
http://www.networkssa.fotopic.net/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nuttytentacle/tags/singaporecommunityday2007/

Finally got time to upload the photos I took on my tiiiiny camera from the Makan Besar this past Sunday.

So we started off the day REALLY early (obviously...look at the 2 guys yawning their hearts out above). The students from NSW took the free bus from the city over to Yatala, where the Makan Besar was taking place. I went in Alan's car but we made sure all the students were all set before setting off from the city at the same time.
SLEEPY AH!!!

The day before was very...momentous...as well. (For me at least)
Woke up really early (for a weekend) to meet the NSW students for breakfast. It was fun getting to know another bunch of like-minded Singaporeans again. Making new friends in a relaxed environment always helps break the monotony of the weekly routine.

Alan and I introduced Brisbane (well...talked about it mostly la) to the students and roughly told them what to expect over the next 2 days and where to find certain places on the map. We then let them on their way and proceeded home for a short rest.

BUT my personal 'adventure' didn't end that morning. Some #%@^!%$@ was moving into/out of my apartment building and dropped a plank (presumably a door from a cupboard) through the opening in front of the lift and broke open a sprinkler head within the elevator shaft. Thus flooding the elevator wells.

BOTH the lifts were out of service.
I COULDN'T GET HOME!!!
Come on...you can't expect me to climb up 24 floors without seriously incurring some sort of injury no? :S
So I waited...went back into the city to shop a little...bought some 'provisions' at Formosa...went to the building's podium level (the hydraulic lift still worked) and waited. I almost went to the formal dinner that evening dressed like I did in the morning: in shorts and sandals. O_O

Fortunately, the lifts were repaired at 5pm (after a 5hr wait) and I rushed home, got changed, and rushed for the dinner. Fortunately, the dinner was GOOOOD. That helped make the rest of the day seemed worth it. After dinner, the NSW students went off to do their own thing while I was stuck in the restaurant, 'forced' to join in the Karaoke. SIGH!!! I REALLY don't like to be pressured into singing. It should be voluntary and fun no? :P

Anyways...back to Sunday.
Scene: Yatala
After a simple registration and coercion to buy raffle tickets (it was for charity anyways), the event proper started off.


Registration


Registration Ladies (Eileen & Christine)


Raffle Ladies (mental note:gotta remember their names!)

As usual, speeches followed but fortunately...they were short and sweet.
Not before long, the food was ready.


Mmm...FOOD

And the queuing began again.






Everyone enjoying food from Singapore

There was a short break between the makan and the much awaited Raffle draw scheduled craftily near the end of the day's program.
The organisers arranged SGian games and a movie for the people who hung around.


Carom...ah...the memories


Chinese Chess


Card Games


And even indoor soccer

We even had Durian ok! (which Alan happily 'volunteered' to open)


DURIAAAAN!!!

Finally, the Raffle draw came along and many people were rewarded with prizes and lotsa fun poking fun at the winners. (even I won something; ok...it was only a consolation prize).





And so ended a fun-filled day.
People slowly filtered out of the event grounds.
The silence replaced the whispering and shouting voices that filled the open area.

It was definitely tiring. The volunteers worked hard to distribute the (FREE) food to the people, the 4 wonderful ladies that helped with registration and raffle draw, the organisers who brought everything together, and the people who came down to make this whole event a success.

Next year it'll be held somewhere else but who can ever forget this day we had.
Coming together because we are Singaporeans and to spend a wonderful day together. (hopefully not just for the food)

So here's to a great event and the memories that came with it.


The students & Alan
Why wasn't I in the photo? Was taking the photos la

Where Are You My Love

Not really a poem but more like a letter to the one I am destined to be with:

Where are you my love?
I am still waiting for you.
Have we met already?
Are you already by my side?
I yearn for you everyday.
Waking up every morning is torture without you by my side.
That sweet look you have when you are asleep.
I kiss you on your forehead as I brush off that stray hair.
Realising you are finally in my arms, I tighten my embrace.
I am the luckiest guy in the world to have found you.
Have you found me?
Why can't I see you yet?
Where are you?
Do you even exist?
The person who will love me as much as I will love you.
Never to let go.
Every moment spent without you is a torture.
And so I am a tortured soul wandering day after day.
Waiting for us to meet.
Have we met?
Do we already know each other?
Why do I ask this, you wonder?
Until destiny brings you to me, to be the eternal matchmaker for us, with the right scene, the right time and the right words, we have not met.
I loved you even before I met you.
Because I know the value of love.
Will we meet eventually?
Till then I will wait...For the day we finally find each other.

My Per...per....personality

Hmm...not much has changed since the last I took this.
HMM

Multi-Functional-ness

So...with the advent of the new comment system, I will now ask for comments to give you a reason to use it. Hehehe.

The question is, aside from this Blog being a personal diary of sorts, what else do you want to see featured here?

- Interviews with people in Brisbane?
- More techno babble?
- Post interesting links to news that might interest you?
- If so, what news interests you?
- More photos (well...supply of photos depends on what I do during the week)
- More reflective pieces?

Well...come on! Help a guy out!
Tell me what I can include to make this place more interesting.

New Comment System

Found a little bit of an upgrade that I applied to this place with some annoyance.
My comment system is now a plugin of sorts.
When you click on the comments link, it'll pop up a PHP (I think) window for you to enter the comment.
Good stuff!
It looks....cool...hahaha.

Anyways...try it out.
And if you want the instructions for it...I got it somewhere.

Embrace the 'Now' - A message to everyone I know

Sounds like a self-improvement tagline or something someone would say at a religious retreat no?
But this thought just popped into mind and I thought to share it with you.

From the looming possibility of escalated conflict and war around the world to the preached chaos spear-headed by people who do not and will not accept people different from themselves, it seems petty and childish for ourselves to focus on our own little conflicts and disagreements.

What I am proposing is for you to make up with one person with whom you have a disagreement with (be it a fight, an argument, or even a seething hatred) and close that distance between the 2 of you.
Be the gracious one,
Be the first to apologise
Be the first to extend a hand of friendship
Be the first to give a hug
Be the first to perform an unexpected act of kindness
Be the first to accept the other person despite their short-comings (you have them too)

If everyone started with these or something similar), we wouldn't have all these conflicts around us. The world might end tomorrow because some over zealous fool presses the red button. So why leave for tomorrow something you can fix today, before it might be too late.

I am not trying to be religious or self righteous, the next step IS yours and yours alone.
But for me...I am going to try and be nicer to people around me and extend my Love to them as I hoped to be Loved in return.

Singing a Silent Serenade into an Empty Hall

It feels like that right now...my life.
Pointless...silly...to the point of stupidity.
Events of the past few days have brought me to this point again.
A period of self-reflection...deep reflection.
What do I want out of my life?
What am I doing?
Why am I torturing myself?

People are moving forward and I seem to be standing here...watching my friends and family move onto their future. I don't feel like I am moving forward. Well...maybe I am, but it just doesn't feel that way.

Who have I had contact with over the past few days that has provoked this sudden burst of runaway emotions?...let's see...
Justin, whom I had a good long conversation with about stuff happening all around us.
Alicia, who came up from Sydney for a short break. A person who has been moving forward at incredible speed since she left Brissy.
Namit, who is about to enter into a new phase in his life and throttled me to reflect more about what the hell I am doing, or not doing, with my life.
And even Moses, whom I haven't spoken to in a long long while but I read his last entry in his Friendster blog and it got me thinking as well.

The missing ingredient to my daily recipe of 'excitement' and 'adventure'?
CHANGE!!!
I lack change.

I look at myself now, and compared it with myself 2 yrs ago.
Not much has changed.
Well...I don't think much has changed.
The body is creaking a little bit more, a lot more sore spots and that's about it.
My mind and emotions haven't really gotten a good positive kick-start.
My body (although I have sort of started a loose diet plan), still hasn't changed (improved).
My career is still the same as when I started. Ok la...got almost 2 yrs working experience under my belt now but still...it feels sorta stagnant.

I really do miss the times when change was rampant and compulsory. Back in the days of Uni. There was little choice in the matter.
People will arriving as fast as they were leaving Brisbane.
There was almost always another event from either SSA or the other Unis.
Emotions were running high, and crazy.

Now...well...it just feels............GREY.
GENERIC
PLAIN
BORING

Am I asking for too much?
Doesn't everyone feel sort of the same?
Or am I just imagining it?

I don't particularly enjoy change, but in the midst of a REAL lack of it, withdrawal sets in. It becomes a drug that your day-to-day cannot deal without.
I need to meet new people?
Feel alive again?
To be needed again?
Feel loved?
All of the above?

Saturday @ Work

Haha...so sad...I am actually in the office right now.
Copying some work files for more work later in the weekend.
Need to rush a few jobs la.

So bored.

Alicia flew up from Sydney this weekend for some R&R. Last night we all met up at Joel's for dinner and she brought a friend over.
The world is so small...her friend turned out to be the older sister of a friend of mine from CJC...haha...talk about coincidence la. Madness.

Anyways...just wanted to drop in a rant or two here before heading back to getting some work done.

Leaving soon to have lunch with Justin.
Then off to a meeting with the Singapore Club.
I wonder what to do tonight...work? Or go find something to do...KTV?
HAHAHA...see how la.

Delta Wowee!!!

Delta Goodrem's new song: In This Life

WOW!!!!
She looks great and sounds as lovely as ever!!!
*Swooon

Feast of Love

*Edit*
This is the link to the music video.
The old style seemed to hang some browsers (IE sucks)

http://www.apple.com/trailers/mgm/feastoflove/musicvideo/

Siiiiiiigh

*Edit*
Oops..realised I didn't include the name of the song.
It's 'Honestly' by the Cary Brothers
Gotta watch this movie!

True Friend Test

Come Come...do do...its below the Shout Box on the left --->

Song: Sen no Yoru wo Koete

*Edit*
This is the link to the song.
The old style might be crashing some browsers (IE Sucks)

http://odeo.com/audio/16531973/view

This song is for you.
The words I want to say to you.
But perhaps never could.
If you ever find out what it says, you'll know what my hearts yearns to shout out.

So....Full....

ARGH....stomach is complaining ah!!!
Ate...too...much...
(faint)

Ok...so I havent been blogging as promised

Haha...the title kinda self-explains this entry.
And yes...I DID mention I will TRY to write every 2 days minimum?
That makes the last supposed day to be Thursday last.
Oh well...better late than never I say.

Nothing really exciting happened during the week though.

The diet shakes are doing their thing and keeping me full during breakfast and lunch.
Kinda made up a plan for the whole change.
Gonna try this meal replacement shake regime loosely for about a month, just to get used to it.
For now...I'll be following the recommendations of the plan loosely.
I will just eat like I have been eating normally for that one normal meal of the day.
In a month's time, I will go stricter on myself and actually control the amount of carbs I take. (According to the explanation) This will make my body EAT itself...haha...well...more like using the stored fats and stuff and using that as the main source of carbs instead of the rice, noodles, etc that I usually consume.

Target? 1KG a week. Hopefully more at the start. So I guess an average of 1KG a week.
And hopefully I can maintain this for a year. So that's 52KG by next Oct? I'll be almost my perfect weight for my height.
Optimistic! Stay Optimistic!

Gonna get started on the exercise as well. Little by little of course. Swimming first I think. Then some light gym work soon after. Gotta get my arms back to my old strength, like when I was in the Army. Hehehe...strong arms are GOOOOD!

So WHY the sudden interest in getting healthier suddenly?
I want to say its for my health and to satiate the people who love and care for me.
But that is not really the case I guess.
Its a little vain and sad to some (but who cares), but its really about getting myself a girlfriend.
HAHAHAHA.
So...secondary school eh?
I sorta just decided to screw the 'personality will overcome' and 'looks doesnt really matter' malarchy.
Nobody is gonna even look at my personality if I can get someone to consider being with me without feel disgusted by how I look.
So there you go...a simple reason.

Back to the updates...nothing exciting happened until Friday night.
Alan had 2 friends arrive from SG who are migrating to Australia. So together with Justin and Lindsay, we decided to take them to that Thai place that Mervyn brought me on Tues. The curries were soooooo good la. Makes me regret starting my diet now. LOL.

After dinner, we dropped by Mount Coot-tha to show them around. PLUS Jamie & Sylvia just arrived in Brissy for a short holiday, so we met them there as well to catch up. It was fun.

So now comes the all dramatic part (well...not really). Came home around 12, I tooted around the living room for a bit, watched some J-Dramas, played Facebook, and went to bed @ 2am while Lindsay continued to stay awake for the Rugby World Cup Opening. I had planned to wake up to watch the match as well but I ended up waking @ 5.30am, 30 mins into the first half.

Everyone was already in the living room. Haha...Chris, Lindsay, Nadia and Damien, and Kristofer (Damien's friend). I looked like a zombie walking into the living room la. Lucky they didnt mind (it IS my apartment no? :P). The opening match between France and Argentina was goooood. Argentina won but it was close. So close. Its a good sign for things to come this RWC.

Chris, Lindsay, Nadia and me had breakkie at Jeremy's after. Niiiice. Poached eggs, with Hollandaise over a slice of sour dough plus a sausage on the side. Almost the perfect breakfast if not for the terrible Chai I had. :P
Went straight to bed after that. Woke up @ 2, cleaned up the living room a bit, watched Torchwood on my PC for the rest of the afternoon until I went for mass. Didn't want to risk missing it tomrw if I couldn't wake up. Had dinner with Alan and his 2 friends (Robin and I cannot remember his wife's name again...SORRY!!!). Mervyn also joined us at the end. Ending the night, we went to 3 Monkeys and Justin joined us eventually as well after his dinner with his mom for her Bday.

All in all, a great few days I think.
New Zealand THRASHED Italy and Australia THRASHED Japan even more.
Amazing!
Yaaawn...its late. I should go to bed.
Tomrw night we're going for out for dinner again...I need to stock up more shakes!
Hahaha...gdnight people.
Have fun blogging!

SAM, Photos and Thai Food

No...its not a missile platform...my Samsung Q1 arrived!!!
Finally got it when it arrived yesterday at the office.
Woohoo!!!
But getting the wireless at home to work with it has caused me grief and a late night yesterday.
It still is giving me alot of problems but I shall prevail and overcome.

Today has been quite exciting.
Started the day normally and finally decided to give the Celebrity Slim meal replacement shakes a go during lunch.
Not bad. Tried the chocolate flavoured shake.
It was nice....very nice...but the quantity makes sense, very very little.
It IS supposed to be for a diet.
I am supposed to replace 2 major meals (breakkie and lunch) out of a planned 6 mini meals in a day.
A small healthy snack between breakfast and lunch and one more before dinner.
But I dont think I'll be following that diet to the 'T'.
Will just replace lunch and a few breakfasts in a week.
And supplement with exercise.
Maybe I CAN change my lifestyle...albeit a little slower.

Then as the day came to a close at the office, I logged onto my Flickr account to have a check for comments. And to my surprise, I found 2 new ones.
Both invites to post 2 of my photos on a community group.
Yay! I am happy.
I am still an amateur when it comes to photography but it definitely feels good to be acknowledged sometimes.

So dinner time came.
It was pouring when I left the office so it took me forever to get to Chinatown, where I planned to meet Mervyn for dinner at a Thai Cafe that was run by his friends.
GREAT FOOD!!!!
I RECOMMEND!!!!
Hahaha....anyone wants to go? Just drop me a line and we'll go!
They have KUAY CHUP!!!!!!
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Ok ok...gotta stay in control...diet! Diet! DIET!
Anyways...it was great having dinner with Mervyn. Always a great time to be had.
Too bad we dont do it enough.
He's too busy or I am instead.
But always cool when we do.

I guess those are the highlights of today.
I don't write enough I reckon...so I will TRY to report on daily (maybe 2xdaily) happenings here in good ol' sunny (although rainy and cold for now) Brisbane.

Debs returns to work tomrw and will resume her email terrorising.
AHHHHHH!!!!
Hahaha.....joking joking!

A Smack of Nostalgia

Couldn't fall asleep easy last night.
Didn't really get properly rested until about 2am?
That nap in the middle of the day really screwed with my internal clock...sigh

Anyways...While tossing and turning on my bed, a person came to mind.
Someone long ago in my past...I'd say 10 years at least?
Lets call her (yes...she's a girl) "MY".

A uncontrollable train of memories just came rushing down the tracks and hitting me smack in the face. It was so long ago.
How is she? What is she doing these days?
I know she probably still teaches Sunday School back home but I wonder if that has changed as well (beyond my ability to fathom).

Sigh...the biggest crush I had on this one back then. And it was all one sided all too naturally. I guess this is time for a little background update:

I joined up with Catechism classes one year later than my peers so it kinda ended up with me becoming the older student in the class. It was an interesting age. Teens were beginning to open up and the gender divide is slowing closing (ie. Girls and Boy dont sit seperately in class anymore). Well...aside from the 1st year when a nun was teaching us...boys sat one one side and the girls sat on the other.
But MY didn't come into the picture until a little later.

When she joined, she still was not Catholic. Just another girl going through the motions of getting Baptised and starting Sunday School. If I remembered clearly enough (which does not happen often), I was asked to make sure everything was ok with her (Sigh...being the older one in class was annoying at times). By this time I believe I was made unofficial leader of the boys cohort and Stacey was for the girls. This was to facilitate any joint activities we are supposed to have (So gang-like right?).

So the year went on but I naturally didn't feel anything for MY all this while. Just friends, we were. But one year...I cannot remember which...during the annual church camp, I started having feelings for her. I think she was in my group as well. Hazy memory sucks bad.
From then on, I held a silent flame for her. Trying to get to know her better but it never seemed to work out properly. Probably because of my awkwardness as a teenager when it came to girls I liked.

My silence continued on for the last few years of Catechism and even carried onto the Junior Catechists (which to my delight she decided to join as well). But that whole saga didn't pan out well either. I got involved more often with my JC activities and eventually, I decided to leave the Jr Cats. She joined up with the Catechists while I didn't have much time left for much else after enlisting for NS. After NS? I came straight to Brisbane and embarked on this new journey of my life.

All those years spent in quiet yearning for this person. I wonder how things might have turned out if I dared to tell her. If I dared to make myself known to her a little more, instead of being the quiet one. Although my heart has taken a turn ever since coming to Brissy, MY always had a small place in my silent heart.

She was the perfect being in my eyes back then.
Sigh
Teenage Love
So...innocent...so tragic.
She will probably always remain the symbol of lost opportunity to me.
The graceful, happy, intelligent beauty that she was and probably still is.

Burn...burn the skies with fire and music

Brisbane River Festival 2007 - Riverfire
Originally uploaded by nuttytentacle

So here it is again...River Festival in good ol' Brisbane.
Missing people here.
Sigh...there are a few people I wish are here to share this with but I guess the photos are the only way I can share this with them.

If you wanna see the ones I picked out, go to my Flicker account and have a browse.

So today was sorta a slow but very busy day.
Started with lunch at Chinatown with Jeff and then back to our place for a movie, take-away from the Taj (we bought too much again), watched the fire works from my balcony (which is apparently quite a good place this year), Mervyn joining us after we put in Zoolander into the machine, Justin coming over just as I was uploading the photos.

Hahaha....it might sound boring but I was/AM so tired right now la.
Maybe it is cos of my allergies acting up...but hey...who cares. It was a night to remember and I had fun.

Lindsay bought a new coffee table for the living room so now most of the furniture in the living room fits a theme of sorts. Oh, did I mention Lindsay went with Nadia and Sonia to IKEA today for a browse? Haha.

So I am here now finally...sleepy and tired and about to retire. Nonetheless...I yearn for someone to share this moment with. (Well...more like when the fireworks were going off)
The one I wish was here isnt.
Sigh...wat a crappy feeling that is.
Maybe its just my blocked nose.