Yes, I know the mr brown saga is old news, but I just read this post of my friend's and after commenting, I'm kind of fired up. I will keep it short though, and I did make the following point in my comments - I just want it on my blog too.
In her reply to the mr brown column, Ms K Bhavani says of his column: "His piece is calculated to encourage cynicism and despondency". But just think for a minute. As a Singaporean, what causes you to feel more cynical and despondent? Reading mr brown's column, or Ms K Bhavani's reply and the subsequent suspension of his Today column?
So Ms Bhavani, who is the one encouraging cynicism and despondency?
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
A tribute
On July 22, Dennis Bergkamp will grace the pitch at Emirates stadium wearing the Arsenal shirt for the last time. After 11 years and over 100 goals for Arsenal, he is retiring.
He was, and will always be, the player that I liked to watch the most. I remember eagerly awaiting Saturday nights for live telecasts of Arsenal games. I remember that adrenaline and sense of expectation every time he stepped onto the pitch. And I remember the great goals he scored. Like his hat-trick against Leceister in 1997. Or like the one against Argentina during France'98, in the 89th minute of the semi-final, with the score at 1-1. And who could forget the one against Newcastle in 2002, where commentators were so amazed they wondered whether it was even intentional. The three goals he scored for his hat-trick in 1997 were ranked the top 3 goals of the month by BBC Match of the Day, a feat that has never been repeated.
But scoring goals was not the only aspect of Bergkamp's play. He had a deft touch, immaculate control and visionary passing. There have been numerous times when teammates like Marc Overmars, Patrick Kluivert, Nicolas Anelka, Fredrik Ljungberg and Thierry Henry have all benefitted from a defence splitting pass from Bergkamp. He made it all look so simple, and he conjured it up on such a regular basis that you were in danger of forgetting how much skill he possesed. There are numerous compilations of his many great goals. This is but one of them.
Although he featured mostly as a substitute in the later stages of his career at Arsenal, watching them will not be the same now that he's retired. It's been said that there are many great scorers of goals, but Bergkamp was a scorer of great goals. Some consider him the best foreign player ever to play in the English Premier League, and Thierry Henry has said that Bergkamp was the best strike partner he ever had.
Quiet and unassumming, it was easy to underestimate how skilled he truly was. So here's to the Non-Flying Dutchman, an Arsenal great - Dennis Bergkamp.
He was, and will always be, the player that I liked to watch the most. I remember eagerly awaiting Saturday nights for live telecasts of Arsenal games. I remember that adrenaline and sense of expectation every time he stepped onto the pitch. And I remember the great goals he scored. Like his hat-trick against Leceister in 1997. Or like the one against Argentina during France'98, in the 89th minute of the semi-final, with the score at 1-1. And who could forget the one against Newcastle in 2002, where commentators were so amazed they wondered whether it was even intentional. The three goals he scored for his hat-trick in 1997 were ranked the top 3 goals of the month by BBC Match of the Day, a feat that has never been repeated.
But scoring goals was not the only aspect of Bergkamp's play. He had a deft touch, immaculate control and visionary passing. There have been numerous times when teammates like Marc Overmars, Patrick Kluivert, Nicolas Anelka, Fredrik Ljungberg and Thierry Henry have all benefitted from a defence splitting pass from Bergkamp. He made it all look so simple, and he conjured it up on such a regular basis that you were in danger of forgetting how much skill he possesed. There are numerous compilations of his many great goals. This is but one of them.
Although he featured mostly as a substitute in the later stages of his career at Arsenal, watching them will not be the same now that he's retired. It's been said that there are many great scorers of goals, but Bergkamp was a scorer of great goals. Some consider him the best foreign player ever to play in the English Premier League, and Thierry Henry has said that Bergkamp was the best strike partner he ever had.
Quiet and unassumming, it was easy to underestimate how skilled he truly was. So here's to the Non-Flying Dutchman, an Arsenal great - Dennis Bergkamp.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Consolidation
Remember that job interview all those months ago? Well, I had to fill up another survey from that same company again in Orchard MRT while waiting for a friend, and guess what? Two days later, and another phone call from them. Except this time I declined. I know it's the same company because I recognised the collar pin that the guy who asked me to fill out the survey was wearing.
Some things just don't change. Like the numerous people from "charities" that ask you for money at Orchard MRT. Nowadays, I just flat out say "no". I'll have to admit it was kind of funny seeing how the guy's jaw dropped because he obviously was not expecting me to be so direct. Hey, but that's what you get when people from your organisation try to make me donate more than I agree to, by putting down my name for $5 before I even say how much I'm willing to give. And yes, I know that you are "only here for a day", but I heard that line 10 months ago too.
Anyway, I realise I have not had the opportunity to consolidate my first year in Montreal, and a few days of meeting up with friends and doing the things I used to do have given me some perspective.
First of all, I realise now that it is probably time for me to move on from some aspects of the life which I left behind. A glimpse of the past served as a timely reminder. There were things that I'd hoped to accomplish, but I realise that it's not possible anymore, and that the situation has changed too. I am neither motivated nor enthusiastic.
There are also things that I still enjoy immensely. Like playing soccer for 2 and a half hours straight. Yes, I ached so bad that even walking around hurt for 2 days after, but boy was it fun. The feeling of being so carefree and in your element, the adrenaline, the banter between friends, the sheer simplicity of it all - after all these years, the charm has not faded. On the pitch, we are children once again, and the glint, the hint of mischief and glee, is evident in everyone's eyes.
Meeting up with friends whom I've not seen for months, I realise that I have grown up. Sometimes I am told that I sound more mature, at other times I notice that we've talked about similar things before, but now my responses have changed.
In Montreal, Darren, Karen, Ken, Suling and of course, Char, have been the source of much fun and laughter. Special mention goes out to Darren, who was an immense help during the last week in Montreal. The six of us grew so close we were practically family - idiosyncrasies, individual -isms, flatulence and belches all included. My stay in Montreal has allowed me to develop in ways that would not have been possible back home, and I cherish the memories that I have.
It is time to move on, and it is here that I notice the greatest change in myself. I recognise that I have to leave my friends and the good times behind much more easily now. It is still difficult, but I accept that we can't live in the past forever, and I no longer agonise over the inevitable. I probably will not find a similar group of friends next year, just like I have not found a similar group of friends to the ones that I have in Singapore, but I'm sure that next year, I'll develop another set of friendships that will carry me through. The friends that I've been lucky enough to find have been unique, and I am glad they cannot be replicated. If all friendships could be the same, then there would be no special value attached to each of them.
It has been a great year, and the memories will remain with me forever. I know that it will be different next year, but I look forward to making it unique in its own right.
Some things just don't change. Like the numerous people from "charities" that ask you for money at Orchard MRT. Nowadays, I just flat out say "no". I'll have to admit it was kind of funny seeing how the guy's jaw dropped because he obviously was not expecting me to be so direct. Hey, but that's what you get when people from your organisation try to make me donate more than I agree to, by putting down my name for $5 before I even say how much I'm willing to give. And yes, I know that you are "only here for a day", but I heard that line 10 months ago too.
Anyway, I realise I have not had the opportunity to consolidate my first year in Montreal, and a few days of meeting up with friends and doing the things I used to do have given me some perspective.
First of all, I realise now that it is probably time for me to move on from some aspects of the life which I left behind. A glimpse of the past served as a timely reminder. There were things that I'd hoped to accomplish, but I realise that it's not possible anymore, and that the situation has changed too. I am neither motivated nor enthusiastic.
There are also things that I still enjoy immensely. Like playing soccer for 2 and a half hours straight. Yes, I ached so bad that even walking around hurt for 2 days after, but boy was it fun. The feeling of being so carefree and in your element, the adrenaline, the banter between friends, the sheer simplicity of it all - after all these years, the charm has not faded. On the pitch, we are children once again, and the glint, the hint of mischief and glee, is evident in everyone's eyes.
Meeting up with friends whom I've not seen for months, I realise that I have grown up. Sometimes I am told that I sound more mature, at other times I notice that we've talked about similar things before, but now my responses have changed.
In Montreal, Darren, Karen, Ken, Suling and of course, Char, have been the source of much fun and laughter. Special mention goes out to Darren, who was an immense help during the last week in Montreal. The six of us grew so close we were practically family - idiosyncrasies, individual -isms, flatulence and belches all included. My stay in Montreal has allowed me to develop in ways that would not have been possible back home, and I cherish the memories that I have.
It is time to move on, and it is here that I notice the greatest change in myself. I recognise that I have to leave my friends and the good times behind much more easily now. It is still difficult, but I accept that we can't live in the past forever, and I no longer agonise over the inevitable. I probably will not find a similar group of friends next year, just like I have not found a similar group of friends to the ones that I have in Singapore, but I'm sure that next year, I'll develop another set of friendships that will carry me through. The friends that I've been lucky enough to find have been unique, and I am glad they cannot be replicated. If all friendships could be the same, then there would be no special value attached to each of them.
It has been a great year, and the memories will remain with me forever. I know that it will be different next year, but I look forward to making it unique in its own right.
Friday, July 07, 2006
I'm back
I'm back in Singapore, and will be around till the 30th of August. Call me at my old mobile phone number, e-mail me, or msn me to arrange for a meet-up. I'm almost done with the unpacking, most of my stuff is out of the bags, and I just need to finish up. The flight home was long, and the 11-hour journey from Chicago to Tokyo was made worse by the other passengers sitting beside me.
I was assigned the middle seat of the 3 beside the window on the left side of the plane. I remember telling the agent that I'd like a window seat, but I guess the plane must have been full. Anyway, it was too late, and I took my seat beside the guy sitting on the inside. I silently hope that the seat on my right will remail empty so that I can take it, and give myself some breathing space. That hope disaapears when a plump middle aged man in an orange t-shirt takes the seat beside me. It dawns on me that it is going to be a long and uncomfortable trip when the y on my left gets up to go to the washroom before the plane takes off. The guy on my right also lets out a big yawn, and I am left cursing my luck. His breath smells of cigarettes, and to add to that, it smells REALLY bad. The heavy - morning breath - kind of bad. Except worse. So throughout the flight, I have to keep getting up to let the guy on the inside go to the washroom, and I have to contend with Mr Dragon Breath on my right, who loves to yawn, and being a smoker, coughs a lot. He also drinks alcohol at every meal, adding to the foulness of his breath. I am half tempted to go the the washroom and get him a toothbrush, but I restrain myself.
I arrive in Tokyo with my olfactory system barely functioning, and proceeed to the gate, where I have a 4 hour wait ahead of me. I listen to the Rent soundtrack again, and realise that most of the songs are growing on me. I feel like watching it all over again. There is a delayed telecast of the Italy - Germany semi-final, so the wait is not too long. The flight from Tokyo to Singapore is thankfully, pretty empty, and I get the whole row of window seats to myself, for which I am very thankful after my 11-hour ordeal.
Anyway, I arrive in Singapore without incident, and meet my parents at the gate and we go home. I can't sleep, so I stay up to watch the France - Portugal semi, which was so boring I fell asleep at the end.
Anyway, now that I'm back, and I have a regular internet connection, posts should become more frequent. I know I said that last time, but that was before my girlfirend's roommate decided to cancel her internet without telling her. Meanwhile, I was too cheap to pay for 2 months of internet that I won't be using for July and August, so I did without much internet since May.
And just before I end, pictures of my apartment are up on my flickr page. They've been organised into a set, and I had to delete the one of my trips to Niagara Falls and Quebec City in September and December respectively. The photos are still there, but since I can only have 3 sets, what I will do is start tagging all my photos, so they can be easliy searched. The photos for my summer trips to Niagara Falls, New York and a 1-day camping trip to Mont Tremblant are not up yet - I have to edit and upload them first.
I was assigned the middle seat of the 3 beside the window on the left side of the plane. I remember telling the agent that I'd like a window seat, but I guess the plane must have been full. Anyway, it was too late, and I took my seat beside the guy sitting on the inside. I silently hope that the seat on my right will remail empty so that I can take it, and give myself some breathing space. That hope disaapears when a plump middle aged man in an orange t-shirt takes the seat beside me. It dawns on me that it is going to be a long and uncomfortable trip when the y on my left gets up to go to the washroom before the plane takes off. The guy on my right also lets out a big yawn, and I am left cursing my luck. His breath smells of cigarettes, and to add to that, it smells REALLY bad. The heavy - morning breath - kind of bad. Except worse. So throughout the flight, I have to keep getting up to let the guy on the inside go to the washroom, and I have to contend with Mr Dragon Breath on my right, who loves to yawn, and being a smoker, coughs a lot. He also drinks alcohol at every meal, adding to the foulness of his breath. I am half tempted to go the the washroom and get him a toothbrush, but I restrain myself.
I arrive in Tokyo with my olfactory system barely functioning, and proceeed to the gate, where I have a 4 hour wait ahead of me. I listen to the Rent soundtrack again, and realise that most of the songs are growing on me. I feel like watching it all over again. There is a delayed telecast of the Italy - Germany semi-final, so the wait is not too long. The flight from Tokyo to Singapore is thankfully, pretty empty, and I get the whole row of window seats to myself, for which I am very thankful after my 11-hour ordeal.
Anyway, I arrive in Singapore without incident, and meet my parents at the gate and we go home. I can't sleep, so I stay up to watch the France - Portugal semi, which was so boring I fell asleep at the end.
Anyway, now that I'm back, and I have a regular internet connection, posts should become more frequent. I know I said that last time, but that was before my girlfirend's roommate decided to cancel her internet without telling her. Meanwhile, I was too cheap to pay for 2 months of internet that I won't be using for July and August, so I did without much internet since May.
And just before I end, pictures of my apartment are up on my flickr page. They've been organised into a set, and I had to delete the one of my trips to Niagara Falls and Quebec City in September and December respectively. The photos are still there, but since I can only have 3 sets, what I will do is start tagging all my photos, so they can be easliy searched. The photos for my summer trips to Niagara Falls, New York and a 1-day camping trip to Mont Tremblant are not up yet - I have to edit and upload them first.
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