Hope for Singapore's men

There's yet hope for Singaporean men for being gentlemanly (sorry, so far I don't have a good impression of them, given their "performance" on public transport especially, and around).

Yesterday, after a meeting, I went to HQ to do some remote accessing of my email before my fencing class. I was carrying my handbag & a big bulky plastic bag (with my shoes & exercise attire) and digging for my access card to open the main door of the office. Unexpectedly, a colleague working there (he was walking towards the door from behind) said, "Don't worry about it, I'll use my access card (or did he say I'll open it?)".
Think I was caught off-guard (& maybe surprised by this act - this shows my poor impression of Singaporean men/male colleagues), hence I only said "oh, thanks". After that, owing to my poor reaction at that point, I felt I should have turned & smiled at him to say thanks again (now I'm the ungracious one). Too late now.

Hopefully, we'll see more of such people around.

Forbidden City

Went to watch Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress last night. It was very good! The music (although some parts sounded familiar...similar tunes in other SRT productions, I guess), the storyline, the cast were good. I found myself relating to the show, evoking many emotions as the story developed. The atrocities of the ang mohs (ok, I don't have anything against them...more because of the history), the internal conflicts of power, the possible misunderstandings. Not that I'm very well versed in China's history, but from the show, if Prince Tun & Cixi had worked together from the beginning, they would have been a powerful force as their characters are similar; one driven by love for the empire/country, the other driven by love for her family; the never giving up, etc.
The show also saw how people only wanted to see & hear what they wanted to see & hear, and the possible effects of unethical journalism.

Definitely worth a watch.

technorati tags: Forbidden City, Kit Chan, Cixi

Am I a professional?

I feel I'm not really a librarian but more like a liaison officer. What I'm doing is more of coordinating the flow of things & little of selection and the like.

I want to do cataloguing! I want to do proper collection development! I don't find myself picking up professional skills & even if I go for courses, I don't get to apply or practise them!


Technorati tags: cataloguing, collection development

Left-handed, right-eyed

I discovered at my 2nd archery class yesterday that I have a right master eye, which means I can aim better with my right eye than my left eye. But i'm left-handed, which theoretically, I should aim with my left eye! So am contemplating if I should continue using the bow for left-handers or change to a right-handed bow. If I use the left-handed bow, I would have to train my left eye to focus. If otherwise, I would need to train my right arm to draw the string.

Hmm...

Fencing workshop

Yes! Today I had my 1st fencing class! It was cool! Not to mention the instructor was not bad-looking...haha... :P Anyway, he had actually won 2 bronze medals at the SEA Games.

It's another recreation activity arranged by my organisation. This time it was taught by a instructor from the Blade Club. We were taught some theory, and some footwork. Basically, you've got to keep your body straight, your feet in a L-shape position, your arms lifted & to keep your legs bent. Being the first day, our bodies were not tuned to this yet, so I'm expecting some aches tomorrow. This will be a good workout for my thighs man. And probably a more toned body! However, we will only get suited up on the last lesson, which is 7 weeks later!

What we'll be using is the foil (which is the weapon lah). This is sort of like the "beginner's" weapon I think. The other 2 types are the épée (pronounced "epp-pay") & the sabre. There are different sparring rules for each weapon.

Next week, we'll still practise on the footwork & doing thrusting. Think I will need to get a pair of track shoes.


Technorati tags: Fencing (sports), SEA games

Dose of Sports

Yesterday, I started my 8-week archery course. It was actually arranged by my organisation as part of some staff recreation initiative, so the committee arranged for instructors from the Kebun Baru Archery Club to teach us.

The 1st lesson was more like a refresher course for me. I'd actually did a one-day course back in JC when I was in my JC's ODAC (yup, some of my peers can't really visualise me as part of that ECA now...haha...don't look the outdoor or adventurous kind). Of course, being the only left-hander at the course, I got to use the same bow almost throughout.

Anyway, it was quite fun. At least I hit the board all the time & not letting the arrow whizz over it & hit the wall behind. However, wasn't quite good at aiming, think the closest I ever got to the bull's eye was the the 3rd ring. Anyway, I couldn't adjust the sight, & I guess there was a parallax error from my end, so ...
Well, the instructor said he will start teaching us how to do targeting next week...how to offset (???) and after that, how to adjust the sight. Hope I'll do better next week!

Did I tell you I'm starting fencing tomorrow? ;P


Technorati tag: archery, Kebun Baru Archery Club

National Day Parade 2006

It's National Day! Just finished watching the parade at 8pm.

A bit of nostalgia as this is the last time they are having it at the National Stadium at Kallang (they are pulling it down!). Still remember the days (vaguely though) when I used to attend it...when Samuel Chong was still the host at that time. Was really young then and didn't feel the significance of it. But now, I can understand better & I do feel a sense of patriotism towards Singapore (it's not just during this period you know).
You can see it especially in my line of work - preserving Singapore's heritage. ;P Ok, this was discovered when I started work & I realised that I enjoyed heritage work & I feel strongly about it.

My favourite national day song? Count on me Singapore. The words are so meaningful, expressing what Singapore has gone through in becoming an independent nation, surviving the odds & criticism of others. and the "count on me" part gives you the sense that you are part of it.

Technorati tag: National Day Parade,NDP

Partners in Crime : A Singapore Murder Mystery by S Mahadevan Flint

Just read this book which after finishing, I'll stick to the decision that it is not bad (if you had read my earlier comments in my Current Reads column). It's quite well-written for a 1st-time Singapore novelist.

It's one of those "whodunnit"s, but set in Singapore, in a law firm (corporate law). A senior partner is murdered and just who is the murderer, what's the motive?
Fortunately, for me, there's no anti-climax & I do find myself wanting to read on.

Although I won't say it's addictive in the sense like when I read Agatha Christie (where once I finish a book of AC, I would be craving for the next book in the series (I get "withdrawal syndrome" sometimes)), you'll want to finish it and it sort of rounds up as a novel on its own.
I think I will read the next book (wonder if it will end up as a series) which the author is currently working on.

Why not read it if you like mystery? You'll hardly find something like this in the Singapore context. You can borrow it from the library under the Singapore collection, call no. FLI.

Brooding mood

I went out with my friend today & she asked me, "why are you exceptionally sian today?" It was not intentional & her having just returned from a 2-mth mission trip, she said, "are you sian to see me?" [Dear J! Of course not!].

I think I'm just in a brooding mood. What am I brooding about? I don't know. Searching in my brain, I only see haze. Maybe I'm over-worked? I find that I don't have much of a life, something motivational. Maybe just one of those "down" days.

Anyway, proof of over-working, my friend said I've lost weight (yeah!). Think she's not the 1st to comment...probably because I've been skipping a few lunches here & there. Hmm...not healthy, but not bad. At least something to make me look better. :P
I think I'm not thinking through much these days too. Seem to say a lot of things that don't seem so wise, or the way that I put them didn't sound very good, though not intentionally.

Silence of the Kittens

Went to watch "Silence of the Kittens" (Singapore Theatre Festival) last night. Not bad.

It's a political satire reflecting how it will be like if we become so "puristic" that we become a sterile nation. It used the analogy of the ban of having cats as pets in HDB flats (didn't know that?!). For strays or "abnormalities" (or non-conformists), like the stray cats, they will be culled.

Tag: silence of the kittens