Life in Singapore


taken with my latest baby the Nikon Coolpix S4, that came in an Olympus paper bag.



My home church - the Balestier Road Seventh-day Adventist Church



80% of the country's population live in flats like this


With people living on top of each other in flats this high (most spanning up to at least 20 stories), it's a wonder the country hasn't sunk yet.


The trishaw - a traditional mode of transport that has since been relegated to a tourist activity. Found this old gentlemen napping underneath one of the block of flats.







Handmade bread - a fast disappearing technique in modern-day Singapore (don't ask me why the bread is so burnt).


Anybody care for a pAzza? And don't ask me what is the difference between a $1.50 pAzza and a $11 pAzza..

Oh, and I got myself a new toy!
Haven't actually done much playing around with it as of yet, considering I only just got it last night.

This blog is most likely going to feature a lot more photos in future!

My brother poked his head through the gap of the front door and took a step back, going, "What the?"

My mother stared at me for a full five seconds before throwing off the blanket and jumping out of bed, exclaiming, "What are you doing here?"

Faith, on the other hand, simply stood rooted to the spot, spatula in one hand, hyperventilating.

My aunt was slightly more straightforward. She merely yelled "Melody!" at the train station.

I may just get used to this whole business of surprising people. Seeing the shocked look on their faces, their eyes widening and the step back from the unexpected sight of me was somehow strangely satisfying.

Been back home in Singapore for a week now and well, it's good to be back. Hanging out with my brother again, spending time with my mom, catching up with friends, basking in old familiarity and yet experiencing it from changed perspectives, having wonderful Indian, Chinese, Thai food without actually having to cook for myself (I think I've gained several kilos already), being a complete nerd and stocking up on my books and CDs...

By the end of my six weeks here, I think I'd be loathe to return to Sydney!

how fun is this Christmas card?

I love the interactive nature of it...not sure about the rooster crowing part though...

Christmas Party 2005 [1/6]

Photos from the staff Christmas Party where "vegetarian food" to the caterers meant "eggplant".

Considering I really am not a big fan of eggplant, it was a good thing the entertainment was at least good.

From the creators of Relevant, one of the best contemporary Christian magazines I've ever read, comes Radiant, a magazine targetted towards females between 18-34.

Download their prototype issue, filled with relevant (ahem) articles about living life as a young woman in the world. It's a little lifestyle (home-decorating tips), a little career advice (working as a young professional woman), a little pop culture (interviews with famous celebrities), but best of all is the subtle underlying Christian theme.

Yup. I would certainly love to join the Relevant team.

Even if it means having to move to America ;)

Thieves actually managed to steal this two-tonne sculpture with the help of a crane and a lorry.

I'm sorry, but I cannot stop smirking.

It's not as if it's a two-gram toy that can easily fit inside one's pocket. This is a gigantic piece of metal that would require much hefting and hoisting in order to successfully transport it. And the thieves managed to get away with it?

Hello?

Mind you, the theft happened at around 10.45pm. Not that late. Not as if it were 3am where the roads would certainly be deserted. I'm guessing that would still be some sort of traffic at the hour of the night.

Imagine, three men (I don't know why three, it just seems like a good number for stealing large and heavy sculptures lying in the open) creeping in the park...

"Shhh..Mike, you're making too much noise!"

"Sorry!"

"Now, tiptoe over here and give me a hand with this crane will you?"

*loud engine sounds from the vehicle as sculpture is lifted onto the back of the lorry, dogs bark, birds squawk*

"Er...boss? Where are we hiding the sculpture?"

"In your tiny London townhouse of course! And after a month, we'll sell it on the market because nobody would recognise something as large and famous as this sculpture."

A really interesting sermon by Dr Barry Casey, chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism at Columbia Union College, inspired by the songs of U2.

A sermon about the state of the world.

A sermon about our response.

A sermon about God's role in all of this.

Courtesy of Nicholson Cartoons, as published in The Australian today.

Spectaculars vs News - a rather insightful article on the role of the media in response to the Cronulla riots.

What a dilemma.

When do journos draw the line between doing their jobs and inciting hatred?

I passed my driving test! I passed my driving test!

*dances around the table*

I can now drive without supervision!!!

How quickly one's mood changes within a morning.

I'm still excited about going to the U2 concert, but more than that, I'm just sad, angry and terrified as to what has happened over the weekend.

5000 people gone wild, intent only on creating havoc and causing bodily harm to others. 5000 people herded like sheep, adopting a mob mentality and forgetting to actually stop and think and realise what they're actually doing. 5000 people actually proud of themselves for going against another group of people who just so happened to have a different gene pool and skin colour as them.

5000 people that could have been fed by Jesus instead - my heart actually aches for these people who could have otherwise been touched by the love of God.

But I'm focussing on utopia again where the world is filled only with sunshine, rainbows and colourful flowers.

It's not the blood and violence of the photos taken yesterday that were shocking. It's the fact that there were at least twenty smiling faces in the background where one man was being protected by a policman while another man tried to punch him.

These are my fellow humans and I can only hear one question running over and over again through my head - what have we become?

I cannot understand it. I cannot understand how a group of people can harbour so much anger over people of a completely different nationality without even knowing them. I cannot understand why people can bring themselves to hurt someone so badly simply because they happen to look different. And even worse, I cannot understand how an entire political party can in good conscience stir up and encourage anti-multicultural and anti-immigrant sentiments.

What have we become?

It makes me laugh to read how one guy actually said, "I'm not saying all the wogs and the Lebs are that bad, but there's a certain group who harass and cause trouble."

He actually believes this qualifies his actions?

Does this mean the world should descend upon the scoutmaster's association or all 57 year old males simply for what Robert Potter had done?

Why are we so prone to stereotyping? Why are we in such a hurry to lump people into categories, especially when it can be easily done through the colour of their skin? What is it about being of different ethnicities that people just seem to instantly dislike? Why is there so much latent hatred in us?

Why can't we realise that it's the differences in all of us that makes the world so beautiful? Why can't we realise that we have so much to learn from other cultures? Why can't we realise that people are individuals and although their culture may shape them, they are also formed by their own unique personalities?

Why?

Why?

What more can I say besides the fact that I'm utterly appalled by what happened over the weekend?

I don't know whether to be angry about the extremely intolerant and racist behaviour or to be saddened by what we have become.

And in all honesty? Even though I am not of Middle-Eastern descent, I'm not a white Anglo-Saxon and currently, I'm just feeling a tad nervous about my own safety...

My heart breaks.

I'm going to miss the concert by the biggest band in the world, fronted by one of the most amazing man on earth.

Update: I GOT TICKETS!!! Thanks to the second show they decided to put on due to the response to the first show (and to Bilbo for the tip-off)!

I'm going to see U2 next year!!!!!

Actually, if it weren't for my colleague who parked himself in front of my office at 9am, I would have clean forgotten about it...thank goodness for fellow u2 fans.

oh my goodness! Pandora is going to be my favourite website for a long while!

Just type in an artist or song that you like, they'll search for it and start playing a whole bunch of songs that would be similar in style to your search criteria.

All for free!

How cool is that?

[Thanks to Seth Godin for the link.]

Update: D'oh! Seems like you have to register to actually listen to more than 4 tracks and have gotta be an American citizen to qualify...sigh...the idea was good though. Now for an Australian version...