with bloodshot eyes, I update

I apologise for the long wait for updates. Reason being, I have been staring at primary school kids for the past three days.

No kidding.

Monday harked the opening of the auditions for Unity Primary's Musical, entitled, "Dare to Dream"
Over a hundred eager contestants competed in the Singing, Dancing, Acting segments in order to clinch a role in the musical. The odds are high; the main cast have to sing, dance and act reasonably well and also have the X-factor in their acting. But there were surprises in the lot that came:

Unity Primary's very own Susan Boyle!

In entered a short, plump and shy girl with a prominent birthmark on her face. She stood in front of the judges (G, Yan and myself) shuffling her feet.

Name and Class went the order, not unlike a drill sergeant addressing a soldier

Karen Chew, 5C was the shy response (Names have been changed to protect privacy)

Again a command was given; Do you have a song?

And again a shy response; Yes, Yes I do

Please begin then:

And she did.

Ok, I'm sure her standard would not have passed many auditions as of yet, much less tying her name with someone as illustrous as Susan Boyle. But in the context of a primary school, and indeed even when you bring in the secondary school sector in, she certainly stands out of the crowd.

The clincer was during the acting auditions on wednesday. It was held in two stages; Stage 1 was a simple reading of a script. Clearing Stage 1 would enable you to move on to Stage 2 which was to express an emotion, any emotion to the judges.

The little Ms stood in front of us and said a few lines;

And She Cried.

Not only that, her eyes were drawing us in, pleading with us to hear her story. I felt the music room dissolve away as we were shown a little crack into her world.

And then, it was over. She dried her tears, bowed meeky and left.

Yan looked over at me and said simply,

"I want her for the main cast"

Through the force in her words and the resolution in her eyes, I knew that come what may, I will see a short, plump, shy but outstanding girl named Karan Chew from Unity Primary Class 5C sitting in the room when we come for the next session.


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Camera + Bicycle

The modeling thing didn't work out since neither of us (producer and myself) were free on the right days. It was a nice surprise for my bicycle to be spotted for one, like a compliment paid by a stern teacher. Granted, it's one of it's kind here in Singapore being extensively modified from the stock model. I've realised that I own a grand total of zero photos of it since I've obtained it! Time to make amends...

Flying Pigeon! Produced from a Nationalized "Anchor" brand Japanese Bicycle Factory which copied it's models from a 1933 model Raleigh. Incidentally, it was on bicycles that the Japanese managed to stage their (in)famous invasion of Singapore. Were some of the bicycles Anchor brand? Hmmm....

I managed to break my normal handlebars so I swapped them with this. It's a North Road handlebar mounted upside down to mimic a 1930s' "moustache" drop handlebars.

The lamp came with the light dynamo that I bought even before the bicycle. After extensive modifications and an accident with a van, it's now battery operated.

I removed my rear rack and full chaincase as it was ponderous and heavy. What transpired is now a 1930s racer bicycle. Wanted to go without a chaincover as well, but my trouser cuffs didn't think very highly of grease and dirt.

Because of the modifications, it has been out of service for the better part of a week. High time to give it (and myself) a spin.


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Modeling

My Bicycle got spotted for a modeling gig!

The Chinese Low Educated but Highly Skilled Professional

I spent 10 hours on my bicycle and managed to break a handlebar, strip a very important nut and mount my brakes the wrong way. After the chaos, I decided to leave it to the professionals and brought my bike to the nearby bicycle store. While cycling to the store, it was creaking and squeaking the entire way.

When I was there, it was manned by the full crew, an old chinese man, lady and a old grandmother. After handling the bicycle to the old man he gave it a one over and said to me:

"Ah boy arh, you rammed into a wall before?"

I did hit a van at full speed a few weeks before but I never told him before.

"See see, the front fork is bent! One more time and you can't ride it anymore! Never mind, still can ride but must be careful."

I gave it a once over and.... couldn't see anything. Walking towards the rear of the of the bicycle, he looked at the nut only once and said

"This nut is a special nut, from a Raleigh"

And it was. It only took be 2 hours for me to find it out on the internet. He then looked at the bicycle as a whole, looked at me and said

"You fixed this bicycle yourself right? See la, this thread is stripped. Boy ah, must be more careful next time."

He fixed the brakes, back axle and found the nut after searching the entire store for it.

Total cost: $13. And $10 was for a plastic red rear light.

When I cycled back, the bicycle was like new. No creaks, groans or scrapes at all. Excellent. :)


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A strange encounter of the Other Generation

The people one meets on the streets.....

I was approached by an old man today to assist him to carry a chair to his table.

Old Man: (speaks in prim and proper english) Young man, could you assist me in carrying a chair to my table?

Me: Oh sure sir. Over here?

Old Man: Yes, thank you. Say, its that an army shirt you're wearing, what battalion are you from?

Me: Er....

I was wearing my Singapore Polytechnic Polo Tee. But we continue to chat for a while about the army.

Old Man: (eagerly) So, have you joined the NS yet?

Me: Nope, not yet.

He misread me and thought I was skiving my role. Naturally, I defended myself.

Old Man: Skiving the army! Why I never...

Me: No no no, I said I haven't gotten the letter yet!

Old Man: Oh oh, good good. Remember, Singapore is just a red dot, we all have to defend this country.

Old Man: Remember hor!

After rambling along for a while more, he left us to our food in peace.

Friend A: ..... That was a strange man

Friend B: Yea, what a loony

Me: No, just a lonely one.


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Woe woe woe

I am frustrated and it has to do with the quality, or more specifically the lack thereof, of my bicycle.

The problem is simple to understand;

Quality Chinese "Engineering" that saw me go through two sets of pedals and a set of clotters in a month. The first set of pedals gave way when I was pedaling back from the store at Lavender, the second is giving way as we speak. Is it a general thing or did I just win the lottery?

Assembling by an "Expert" team of workers that managed to forget to grease the seatpost and front stem of my bike, or basically anything at all. After the first day of my ownership (and a drizzle getting back) I find my bicycle chain covered in rust. Also, while attempting to fix my bicycle after knocking the handlebars askew, I find that the interior front stem is covered with rust with nay a grease in sight. The dirty four letter word, Rust rust rust rust.

"Quality" components like screws that strip faster then the experts from Playboy, leaving me with no steering whatsoever and leaving me with only the option to push my bicycle the 4 miles to the nearest bicycle store on foot to get it repaired.



For a bicycle that is reputed to be a workhorse, this is piss-poor performance. I don't pamper my bicycles but expect it to keep up with me in my daily routine. As it is, a $50 Martin or Urata MTB is much more reliable (and attractive) then my Flying Pigeon. If I wanted a project bike, I'll get a knocker Raleigh from an ah pek and start from there. In fact, that sounds bloody decent to me now.

Bleedin' heck.


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In the pursuit of good spoken English

Frequency Modulation 88.9

BBC World News

I find it only fitting that to speak the Queens' English, it is only proper to learn it from those who invented it the language.


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One in a million, really

Photography by: Samuel Koh

One in a million, what are the odds, that we are alive in such a time and place;

We are called for greatness, everyone of us;

To make a difference, no matter stature or rank;

And to benefit other people, whether young or old.

...

If only we first make the choice to take the first step, to turn the wheel, to ignite the fire.



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Endjoy

End-Joy

The uplifting, happy emotion that comes from seeing a long drawn project nearing a successful completion.

Also, an alternative term for suicide.


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Steady on men

never was there such An Accomplished Day then today.

the School;

the Production; Looked Over and Improved

the Teacher; Listened, Questioned, Shocked

the Squad; Comment, Thought, Implementation


the Store;

the Front Porch; Categorized, Arranged, Secured

the Hall; Painted, Lighted, Ventilated

the Rear; Lighted, Ventilated, Planned


the Relaxation;

the Dinner; Flavourful, (Small) Portion, Closing

the Game; Irritation, Transpose, Set Back


the House;

the Room; Discussion, Debate, Direction

the Squad; Direction, Deduction, Selection


the Ride;

the Road; Fatigue, Training, Strength


the Home;

the Bed; Rest, Relax, Recharge


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