Gracious Sillyporeans

The usual - got into the lift, going down. Lifts stops on the 5th floor. A domestic helper enters the lift lugging 2 big pails. She's probably going down to wash her employer's car. I reach my car and enter it, crank the ignition and drive off. The radio is on and tuned to Class 95 (my usual station, think it kinda reflects my era). In the background, I hear some report of how kind Singaporeans are in donating a lot of money to a local charity. The fund-raiser was an apparent succsess.

As we can all remember the recent debacale that was going on with NKF, with the foundation being accused of mis-managing its funds blah blah blah, Singaporeans are still being gracious in giving money to the needy. The radio ad went on further to praise Singaporeans for their generosity etc.

Images wheeling back in time in my mind. Its a Sunday, I'm in church walking to the coffeeshop for my usual morning breakfast. Its raining and the sky was fast becoming dark, I hurrry along. Along my way, I see a car parked at a public parking lot. There is a domestic helper (I think its rude to call them maids) washing her employer's car in the rain. And you know what? The cheapo employer, has a landed property. Instead of parking on his/her own property, parks and hogs a public lot just outside their house. My mind reels back to this morning, seeing a domestic helper going down to clean the car....Bet the employer never washed their car early in the morning and they see fit to see soemone who is in their employ to do what they will never do. Power of the dollar.

Gracious? Charity begins at home. No wonder we are called Sillyporeans.

Reminiscing the past

He reaches over to stop the alarm ringing. Lingering in bed, he tells himself, "Five more minutes". But tiredness gets the better of him. After all, this morning's lectures is one of those boring ones. The one where you try really hard to decipher what the lecturer from China is try to say...dy/dx, triple intergrals etc. His lingering ends up taking 3 additional hours.

He figures its time to get out of bed. There is a tutorial that he needs to attend today. There will be a quiz that will be 20% of his final exams. Dragging himself to the shower where he again lingers for a while, he gets dressed, gets out of the door, music accompanying him on his journey that would take 1.5 hours. Bus, MRT, bus. The life of a student.

Reminiscing the past...

Turning back time

Shows like "Back to the Future" and H.G Well's "Time Machine" try to answer the proverbial question of "What would you do different if you had a second chance to do it all over again?" Some people live in regret of what they have done, while other, bite the bamboo and move on, living with their mistakes. One wonders, who makes a better person at the end of the day...

On a different note, caught the movie "Goal", it was a British production which featured a couple of celebrity football players. The jist of the movie revolves around a young aspiring Mexican, Santiago Munez, who despite family situations and objections, realises his dream of playing professional football in a Premier League club. An inspirational movie.

At the heart of the movie (my opinion) is the courage to dare to dream, to pursue what your heart desires. We will always find ourselves in situations where we have to make decisions, sometime we are called to sacrifice, sometimes we are afraid, sometimes we hide behind something and make excuses for ourselves. I wonder, have I lived my life to its fullest or have I missed out on somethings because I have compromised on certain things. All in all, I don't want to look back in regret, but to look forward. To live the remaning years of my life to its fullest.

The eye of the storm

They say that the place that is the calmest is in the center of a storm. The winds around you churn as a tornado/hurricane/twister unleashes their destructive powers. There was a show called "Twister" which featured a group of storm chasers, running after twisters hoping to be able to study them, to analayze them, to figure out how mother nature works. It was an exhilarating movie, plenty of action. At one point of time, wanted to be a storm chaser cause it looked so cool!

On Friday, as I was making my way home on the ECP, it was the usual crowd. Many cars rushing home for the weekend. I had passed the Benjamin Shear's bridge and wanted to exit at Fort road. I was on the 1st lane and started to filter to the side, the exit was 3 lanes away. When I reached the 2nd lane, I heard a loud crack. I was stunned for a moment. Many seconds later, I realised I could not engage any gears. My gear shifter broke...

As I could not engage my gears, my car was stuck in dead waters, I slowed it to a stop, turned my hazzard light on and pulled my hand brake. Sigh. As I tried to call for towing service, the many cars rushing to go home began to divert, zipping and filtering. It felt as if I was in the eye of a storm. As I looked forward, I see clear roads, but at the sides, the churning of power... cars zipping by dangerously, impatiently, in their hearts probably cursing the breakdown car for blocking their path. I sat patiently in the car, awaiting my rescuers, trying not to get swept away...

Seasons change

You know how many countries have the different seasons. In Singapore we pretty much have 2 seasons, the dry, hot and the rainy season. And I think we are starting to enter the monsoon season. Been raining for the past couple of nights. Days look gloomy too with the overcast skies. Even as I write this, the sky is dark and there are looming clouds just waiting to release their precipitation.

Some countries have the 4 different seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. An I feel as if we are entering into winter. Coming to the end of 2005. The end of the year is always a busy period for me. Too many things to do and too little time. Feeling a little overwhelmed and suffocated at the moment. Just waiting for this season to pass. Spring is around the corner and I'm looking forward to it.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3)

Zipping on Highway 30

How time flies! It was not so long ago that we were all fearful that the milenia bug will hit the coputeres on which we are so dependant on. Some postulated that the world would come to an end and that during that period, we should stay home with our families. Looking back, its easy to laugh. But living that moment - uncertainty.

I don't know about you guys but somehow, I see the analogy of my life in relation to my drive to work. Life on the fast track, zipping by. Getting from where we are to where we need to be. Facing stops, road blocks, heavy traffic, inconsiderate drivers, vechicles that belong to the leftmost lane trying to get the to right most lane. Cars which are hoggers, while others are dangerous.

I wonder what kind of driver I am, what kind of person I am in life...