out for a beer. be right back! =)
lundi, mai 31, 2010
dimanche, mai 23, 2010
erdinger erfurt
so it has been one week here in erfurt. its great to be back in europe. where the beer is cheap and the sun sets at 9pm. =)
so far it has been pretty routine: reveille at 0615hrs, on course from 0800-1700hrs, then own time own target after that. usually that means i'll go for a run, drink beer, then its lights out by 2200hrs.
what a difference from my lifestyle back in singapore.
went to prague over the weekend as well. that's the best part about europe; with so many countries in such close proximity in the eurozone, that means a fun-filled weekend in a cheaper neighbouring country is never far away!
another great part of being in europe over in summer: sports. currently there's the giro, inter just beat bayern yesterday, roland garros just kicked off today, and there's still the world cup and le tour to come!
4 more weeks to go. yaay.
vendredi, mai 07, 2010
dimanche, mai 02, 2010
life and death
today i saw a super long and elaborate funeral procession, stretching like about 1km+ end to end and replete with banners, costumed paraders, stilt-walkers and hearse bearers.
and oh, did i mention the super huge and intricate coffin which was carried by at least 8 people?
in ultra-modern singapore, seeing such a elaborate and traditional ritual is bigger than winning 4D. in our rush to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation, most of us have had no choice but to leave our roots, identity and ancestry behind. because change waits for no man; and because the very notion of being singaporean is to change. and change quickly.
in the 50s, we were still a fishing village. in the 60s, industrialisation set in. by the 70s and 80s, we were part of the asian dragons club, poised to take over the world. the rest, as you know, is history.
today, transformation is everywhere. just compare orchard road circa 2009 vs 2010. sleepy seletar? ditto. even the SAF is not spared as the winds of change howls mercilessly into the soul of the everyday man. everyday we strive to hit the benchmark, just to find that when we get there, the goalpost has been shifted. yet again.
and so yusof ishak is now what defines us. or rather, the national identity is the constant struggle to meet new government initiatives and economic targets. currently, as what our manpower minister said, we have to be "faster, cheaper, better". what next - "arbeit macht frei"?
there is a saying that it is better to die than to fall sick in singapore. because of the constant emphasis to be economically productive and rising cost of living, one can barely afford an extended stay at the hospital, or worse, afford not to work due to illness.
at today's funeral, nobody was thinking about these issues. but one thing is for sure: they would have, if they could, all paid a king's ransom just to see their dearly departed one more time. but what use is of money at the end?
and oh, did i mention the super huge and intricate coffin which was carried by at least 8 people?
in ultra-modern singapore, seeing such a elaborate and traditional ritual is bigger than winning 4D. in our rush to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation, most of us have had no choice but to leave our roots, identity and ancestry behind. because change waits for no man; and because the very notion of being singaporean is to change. and change quickly.
in the 50s, we were still a fishing village. in the 60s, industrialisation set in. by the 70s and 80s, we were part of the asian dragons club, poised to take over the world. the rest, as you know, is history.
today, transformation is everywhere. just compare orchard road circa 2009 vs 2010. sleepy seletar? ditto. even the SAF is not spared as the winds of change howls mercilessly into the soul of the everyday man. everyday we strive to hit the benchmark, just to find that when we get there, the goalpost has been shifted. yet again.
and so yusof ishak is now what defines us. or rather, the national identity is the constant struggle to meet new government initiatives and economic targets. currently, as what our manpower minister said, we have to be "faster, cheaper, better". what next - "arbeit macht frei"?
there is a saying that it is better to die than to fall sick in singapore. because of the constant emphasis to be economically productive and rising cost of living, one can barely afford an extended stay at the hospital, or worse, afford not to work due to illness.
at today's funeral, nobody was thinking about these issues. but one thing is for sure: they would have, if they could, all paid a king's ransom just to see their dearly departed one more time. but what use is of money at the end?
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