YoungJedi

An Evening at National Museum of Singapore

Lim Chee Tiong — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:30:00 +0800

TODAY, Lynnie and I were happened to watch a movie at 9pm at Cathay. Two clueless souls were wondering around the district, taking pictures at the Nanyang Arts School and visited an art's gallery and we 'flew' into the newly revamped National Museum of Singapore. The joy of the evening is: IT'S FREE!! (only on the evening.. )

It was a rather educational trip...

See ... As I told you two clueless souls slowly 'float' towards the Singapore National Museum...

Let Lynnie welcome you to this 121-years old building - the National Museum of Singapore. Its was built on Stamford Road at the Museum Planning Area in 1887. This museum underwent a three-and-a-half year restoration and reopened on Decemember 2, 2006.

At the museum lobby, by the stairs leading to the 2nd level of the musuem, you will see this graphic as shown in the picture. Some might ask if the man in the picture would open his eyes, the answer is yes! but it would be very very slowly. I feel that the reason why the musuem is putting up this, is because, the lifestyle of the city outside the museum is already quick-paced, they want everything to slow down once visitors stepped into this building.

He seems to be telling you ... "young man, hasten your footsteps, you shall not, for you will not be able to abtain peace and tranquility"

ME: Harlow bruther... Come try my satay leh...Alamak... My satay is the most bagus in Singapore and some says in JB and Batam ah ... Smell good sia ...

Satay is local malay delights. The sticks with chicken or mutton taste best when barbequed with charcoal.

Lynnie: Hey .. boss... You wanna sunny side up for your Nasi Lemak or not? Delicious one wor .. better than the pungol one leh ..

Long before punggol and changi nasi lemak made its mark in Singapore, people in the past sells nasi lemak that is packed in banana leaves. It is impossible that one would not be able to find any hot dogs or fish fillet or chicken wings at that time

Some of the boys who is about my age should be able to recognise this : HE-MAN, Masters of the Universe... This happens to be some ti-gam (lucky draw) tickets sold in the Kopi Tiam last time.

Wah phiangz .. Come help me to push this Kok Kok Mee's stall up the slope...

Long before machines were run by electricity, this hand-powered machine is used to make Ice-Kachang.Grind grind grind ...

We entered this room which showcased the cultures of Singaporean in the past. We learnt that Singapore is a big melting pot where people from different races came together and hence formed a unique culture of our own. We respect each others culture, religion and lifestyle.

Lynnie and I particularly love this picture - the lightings and the posture make a perfect picture to take part in next year International Photographic Competition. No lah .. just kidding .. The dark sky marks the start of the rainy evening. Lynnie's photographic skillful right?

This ancient-looking spiral stairs has been there long before the renovation of the museum. I read it somewhere that it came from a private residence and was transported to here when its owner decided to demolish the house. Scary stories has it that this stairs is haunted: some reported seeing a robed figure roaming at the musuem at night near this area. I supposed is the air con too powerful le, the security bo bian have to walk around covering himself with the blanket bah ..

During our Army Days in Singapore, for people who are doing superficial stuffs to show its superior, we called them 'Wayang', which means for show or act act... Well.. in the past, Chinese Wayang is probably the only source of entertainment in Singapore. The elaborated costumes show how grand were these performance in the past. They were probably put into extinction by the invention of television. Beside seeing it in Army Camps, they will be performed around Singapore during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Hmmm .... long before we have muppets roaming around in Sesame Streets.. we already have our Wayang puppets in the Singapore Streets entertaining the kids, as well as adults...

Malay Film Industry used to flourish here in Singapore. There used to be a Malay Production Studios. My mum used to tell me that my grandpa used to work in the coffee shop near the studios.

Let Lynnie introduce her favourite Malay Movie of all time.. Sumpah Wanita... hehe ... no lah .. just kidding, we anyhow post by the poster.

Finally, we were came down from the round of tour of the musuem. This Christmas tree and the rainy weather make us realised that Christmas is here! Yippee!!

Stuck in this building. Oh man, our movie is about to start at the Cathay Cinema which is just opposite.. No choice, Lynnie says we got to wait ... But it is a rather enjoyable rain. It makes everything in the night extremely pretty..

The National Museum of Singapore is worth a trip for all Singaporeans. Rather a nice place to hang out. Remember! The Singapore Living Galleries is FREE ADMISSION from 6pm to 8pm daily. Hmmm .. Maybe, we will pay for the admission to Singapore History Gallery next time ... :)

Is bailout evil?

Lim Chee Tiong — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:24:05 +0800

WHILE I’m writing this blog, the big three, Ford, GM and Chrysler are heading to Capitol Hill to submit the bailout proposal in their bid to access to the $25 billion in federal aid. Bailout certainly make no sense in the eyes of economists

No doubt Japanese are the better carmarker in this industry. In a simple economic sense, why are the Americans hogging onto an industry in which they have lesser competitive advantage? Probably, the only reason I can think of is to cure the cancer cells of this portion of economy before it spreads to the rest. It does make sense in short term, as seen in the recent Dow Jones slight rebound from it’s lowest, the question is how long can it lasts?

Some argued that it is still best to let the tax payer to decide where the money should be flowing to, i.e. cut the tax and let them decide what to do with the excess cash. It is perhaps effective but also a slow way of letting economy to die out first. Time is definately not on the side of US economy, that’s perhaps why the politicians are calling bailout of these poor autocar makers and the financial giants.

Still, people are confused why their money are bailing out the delinquents. Is bailout neccessary, is bailout evil? Well, I only know that bailout is not easy to comprehend by all. According to Merriam-Webster, the #1 word of the year 2008 is actually – “Bailout”. It received the highest intensity of lookups online over the shortest period of time. What the ….?

PS: Bailout actually means: You still get present from Santa Claus even if you misbehave… get it?

Technology, the double-edged sword

Lim Chee Tiong — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:59:17 +0800

I just read a news online, just knowing that thanks to GPS, terrorists are able to make it to Mumbai and create a mayhem. Gosh, for all we know, they no longer are a bunch of mountain tigers, who are still using stones to create fire in their caves in Afghanistan. I started to wonder if technology has become a bad things to us. hmmm..

Well, lets not talk about such sad stuffs that has happened in Mumbai, I got this comic strip from The Joy of Tech, that represents a perfect mockery of ever increasingly advance technology in our life. Enjoys...

For your info, people use fruitcakes to describe queer or homosexual behaviour.

Blogging Lynnie on CT's Blog

Lim Chee Tiong — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:50:00 +0800

WE were blogging about each other, facing each other on one lonely Saturday, at Potong Pasir MacDonald’s. How strange it can be when a couple chose not to talk face to face but to type face to face instead. Not to worry, we are not facing some kind of relationship crisis. But we thought it would be nice to do so once in a while; to talk abit about her and defining our relationship.

Well, how should I describe our relationship, after passing our 7^th month mark? Hmm ... it is cruising in a Millennium Falcon at a speed of light. We seem to know each other for years. In the space of 6 months, we had gone through all the ups and downs, sharing the troubles and the fortunes. They could possibly make up one novel!

Lynnie, has her adorable side. How could I not mention her clumsiness? The number of times she fall down or getting bruises may jolly earned her a Guinness World Record. She is the kind of person, who will put on her utmost effort in anything she do, be it work, relationship, friends or family. She would just bash and dash, (in hokkien we called “chiong”) ignoring all kinds of obstacles in front. And that explains sometimes why she ended like her real life - she fell and get hurt. She trusts people too easily and seldom put a guard against people around her.

For instances, in this relationship, I’m kind of passive most of the time. Therefore, in contrast, she had shown more eagerness in this relationship than the lazy me. While she is running and dashing, I’m like walking and pondering along the way. While she is an action movie character like Michelle Yeoh, I’m like Tom Hanks. And that makes her fuming mad at times. Actually, that doesn’t mean I love her less, but just that I didn’t do enough to show her that. The next instances may be more towards her relationship. She might be a 100% true friend, but they might not be 100% true to her. When that happens it is like knife stabbed into her heart. Result? Injured again... gosh.

I feel that Lynnie is a simple and straightforward person. She is not what she appears to be. She is just a woman who longed to have a place where she could call home and where she could rest her soul. Endless of mind games and back stabbing are not her cup of tea. If anyone who wish to play with her, I will take him/her on personally. If anyone would dare to lay a finger on her, I would make sure his/her ten fingers are fractured. Strategy and mind games, is my forte.

Another thing I like about her is that she loves kids. Her 3 nieces and nephews are her “Bao Bei”. I remember vividly, one day, while I was at her home. Her mum told her that Wewe (Her eldest nephew) asked his classmates to play with lighter in the school. She gave him a big thrashing and after which she cried secretly in the room. The reason for her tears is because she was afraid that “Wewe” might commit crimes when grown up. Her love for them and her family members are undyingly true.

Secretly, I have this in me. I love seeing her frustrated or angry. Ha! I don’t know what’s wrong with me. But it may be because seeing her angry, shows that I meant a lot to her. I hope she doesn’t get to see this post.

Okay, I should end this post here le. But if you think Incredible Lynnie can be described in just 7 paragraphs, then you are damned wrong. I going to use my lifetime to discover everything about Lynnie Tan. Till then, tata....

Blogging CT on CT's Blog

Lim Chee Tiong — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:45:00 +0800

I am Incredible Lynnie; I think he meant Beanie Lynnie. Actually I am not that bean afterall, falling down is never in my list... I mean I never want it in my list. Believe me, is not within my will.

CT & I are inseparable, this picture says it all.

His mum says we are disgusting, my mum says “ya la, you two are very lovey dovey lah. As I am blogging (in his blog) he is sitting in front of me with his laptop. We meet up almost everyday. Have anyone feel that although you only have been dating for few months, it seems like you know that person for like few years already? I did. With him. I have been into quite a few r/s, some which I feel I never step into @ all but @ least it makes me grow up. CT gives me a feeling which I feel blissful. Every now & then, I feel love around him... (If u have a bad stomach, please close this page) although CT has only a few r/s to talk about, @ least his respect towards women makes me love him more. I feel blissful, protected, supported & care with him.

Although sometimes I do really feel mad with him. His time management really sucks. He can tell u he will reach by 12 & 1155 he is still @ his place. I think he is a superman. Most of the time I feel so loved that I got so worried, worried that one day when I woke up everything change. Anyone who can tolerate my temper is not an easy task. He must be someone who is giving, attentive & with a big heart. I know my flaws I know I am not easy to deal with. I can be unreasonable @ times. Any guy with big ego will not be able to stand me. I feel hard to blog about him because I feel the love is un-describable.

He is quite an impressive person. Why? Before our 1^st official date, he sends me home once. He asked me for another date, he didn’t ask for my address I thought to myself, whoa, once only & he is able to memorize the route. In the end, he was late. I waited 45 mins under my block. He called saying he lost his way but he is in woodlands area already. I guided him. I think he didn’t understand because he ended up in Bukit Panjang. He got to hail a cab & ask the cab to direct him. Impressive? A guy who drove & also hailed a cab. That’s the CT I know…

Recently, his company gave them a scale with a booklet to see what kind of category are they? After weighing, he is categorized as OBESE. We were both shocked. Now he is officially my Obese Tiong. I already stopped him from stepping into Old Chang Kee. Scale is scary. Scale is evil… I feel he is not good looking like the past as he was so skinny. I like the better him. I took a hard time pumping him up. Hahaha… of all I had written here, I love everything about him. I never felt this way before.

When you love someone, you have to weigh the importance of things that you had to give up, e.g.; heels... still, we are both madly in love. It’s been 7 months. We still have a long way to walk. When I am going through difficult times like now, he is so supportive so understanding giving me hopes, taking away all my worries (@ least he tried to)… thank you for everything. Thank you that you are a part of my life. Finally, I found someone to annoy for the rest of my life…

Is Power the Product of Greed?

Lim Chee Tiong — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:15:00 +0800

MY brother, Zhixian works in a pharmaceutical company. He's a Process Tech. One fine morning, he happened to have a casual chit-chat with one of his colleagues, a Lab Chemist. This chemist actually concocted a chemical solution of which he claimed to be able to improve car engine performance. Zhixian tried it on the car.

I tested it myself and indeed Rushie performs. At this very moment, I started asking myself: "Will this last? Can Zhixian get more of this?" Soon, I'm awared that my mind is calling for more power. Am I wrong to think that way?

Well, Human Beings is a rare kind of species in this solar system, that is consistently looking out for their self-interest, always wanting to expand their influence, always asking for more ... I guess I'm just exhibiting the traits, that's all.

But as Spiderman believes, "Great power comes with great responsibility". Asking for more power is not wrong, but to use it with care and responsiblity is another issue. How often has people start making mistakes as soon as they obtained power? Napoleon, Hitler, Pot Pol, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, etc, you name it ... However, on the other hand, we do see positive examples like Winston Churchill, Ghandi, Roosevelt Aung San Suu Kyi, etc.. They made use of power for the greater good of humankind; They showed another kind of leadership called servant leadership. Power was used to serve not to control.

As I began to explore deep into the defination of power, I did realise one thing is that power that originated from greed or ill-intention, is undesirable. It gets you to nowhere. Hey, I wanted the car to perform so that he can improve my car fuel consumption and save money. Hmm.. that's absolutely justifiable, right? But imagine, a stupid Ah Beng somehow got hold of this chemical and start driving as if he's Schumacher. OH DEAR!! Crash n Burn!

Now, I wondering if my initial decision of becoming a future dealer has got to do with power? Was I looking for more money or was I looking for more knowledge? Both call for power ultimately. The only difference is that the former originated from greed while the latter is not. Ask me not, which side I'm on now. I'm confused too. I used to think that I'm hungry for knowledge. I wanted to know more about this trade. I simply wanted to pratice what I have learnt in University. But as days go by, I feel like I'm getting nowhere. I began to be hungry for money more now.

Was my decision based on the hunger for power to earn more money from the start? I started questioning myself; Or was the old me killed the same way, Colonel-Doctor Irina Spalko did, while her "alien friend" was feeding her with tons of knowledge, in the movie - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? I absolutely have no answer now.

The Incredible Lynnie

Lim Chee Tiong — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:15:00 +0800

TONIGHT, Lynn and I just went for a simple movie date. Simple yet enjoying though. We watched "The Incredible Hulk". Trust me, it was incredible! I'm always a Hulk lover, ever since I watched Hulk's TV series with my uncle donkey years back. Back then I was a small kid, I never could understand why he can becomes so big yet the trouser is ever so indestructiblel. Hey, wait till you see She-Hulk in cartoon with her super size bra still on. (Anyway, She-Hulk is not that big size as her cousin Bruce lah)

One might be wondering, what has it got to do with Lynn? It's nothing the sort that I'm linking because she has a powerful rage like Hulk. She is incredible because of the number of times she knocked herself (e.g. right hand knock onto left knee) or fell down (e.g. tripped herself while climbing the stairs, just recently only). Sometimes, I feel hearthaching while looking at the "black and green" patch that she has gotten, yet amazing is the story behind these bruises. You really can never understand how she got it. She is really Bean (our term for clumsy)

Beside the brusies that she got that made her so incredibly incredible, I feel that she is incredible in another way. She has been very supportive and caring, especially now when I'm rather fustrating with the advancement that I'm having with my new current job. She is always ready there, to listen and share my sorrow. What can I ask for, when I have a girlfriend like her, who is so willing to walk side by side with you no matter what happens and ever so supportive.

I remembered that the beginning and the end of the movie, there always a caption that says "DAYS AFTER INCIDENT: __". It was referring to the number of days since Bruce got enraged into Hulk. Well, I think it fits really well on Lynnie for "incident" is used to refer to her knocks and bruises that she has gotten. Since she just have a big fall on Saturday, hmmm .. it should be "DAYS AFTER INCIDENT: 3" for her. I hope she wouldn't get anymore knocks for the rest of her life.