Fantasies of the Unconscious - If buildings could speak

If buildings could speak ... what would the iconic Saint Joseph's Institution in Bras Basah Road say ...



My sons ... many have moved on and grown old. Young, eager faces take their place and time marches on. They no longer call me home. A new building far away has replaced me. I too have changed. I too have grown old but my memories are many.

I remember the sounds of laughter that used to echo through my halls, boys in white eager to learn, more eager still to play. How we crammed more than a 1000 into a courtyard for morning assembly back then, I will never know. Everything looked so much bigger when you are younger.

Fantasies of the Unconscious - Creatures of the dappled light

There's much to see at the Raffles Museum

It was a pleasant surprise reading the newspapers of late with all the calls for the setting up of a Natural History Museum here in Singapore.

Being a skeptic at heart, I wondered more than once if this was the work of a small vocal lobby group trying to rally public opinion to further an isolated cause or did it really represent a new-found national consciousness to bring back into the spotlight, some long-forgotten gems of our natural history.

For me, visiting the old National Museum in Stamford Road as a kid was such a treat. An animal lover at heart, walking along those corridors, standing in awe in the presence of creatures of the dappled light, certainly fired the imagination of a young mind.

I stood eyeball to eyeball with a tiger and tried to fathom the last thoughts that went through her head when she met her fate probably from the business end of a gun. Were there some cubs waiting for her back in a den somewhere? Was she distressed that her forest home was being invaded by those thoughtless animals that walked on two legs?

Saul of Cyrene

Saul of Cyrene, (born 37BC, died 47AD) was said to have been a close follower of Jesus Christ having followed him and his disciples around Galilee. He spent his later days in the remote hills of Cyrene in present-day Shahhat, Libya  as a reclusive seer and wrote extensively about his experience.
Many of his journals and his obscure predictions have been lost in time but in 2003 archaeologists digging near the village of Shahhat were reported to have recovered some of his writings sealed in clay jars. To date these have not been released for public scrutiny.

Some biblical scholars believe Saul of Cyrene was actually Simon the man who is claimed in the bible to have helped carry the cross of Christ (Mark 15:21 and parallels). Also in Acts2:10 where Jews from Cyrene heard the disciples speaking in their own language in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost; 6:9, Simon (or Saul) is thought to have been in that group.

One apocalyptic prediction attributed, without verification, to Saul of Cyrene reads:

‘A second star, angry and red, from the east will rise.

Trembling in fear, the tribes witness a temple reborn.

Men will fall, seduced by the false denarius

As the advent of the horsemen draw near.’

Kinda scary to think about it really.

See saulofcyrene.wordpress.com for more information.

It just breaks your heart ...

Love and Sorrow...Felt By All God's Creatures

This is the sort of email I hate getting cos it just gets me upset. But I'm glad I took the time to read it - absorb the emotion even tho it effected me long after I closed the page ...

She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.

Making television history … on a wing and a prayer

When I first suggested coming up with Heritage TV (HTV) for the National heritage Board’s revamped Internet portal (http://yesterday.sg), the idea sounded simple enough.

Produce three-minute video clips focusing on different aspects of Singapore’s art, history, culture and heritage. We would keep it very YouTube-like – raw, edgy and well… home-made (not to mention cheap). Now how hard could that be, right?

But the devil as they say is in the details. ..

The Other Side of Midnight

Yeah it's bad ... a compulsive habit that if we try 'n rationalise it - it doesn't make sense and yet we faithful few - the self-styled Keepers of the Flame - still indulge in a pastime which brings us some distraction and relief (some say it's an addiction for which the benefits are only in your mind ... hmmmm maybe).

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about smoking - yes that socially taboo exercise of literally burning your money, killing yourself (and those around you), alienating yourself from the rest of humanity and you'll end up looking (and sometimes feeling) like a social leper.

Well at least that's the image the "righteous" among us would like to paint and the gullible, believe.

And so as of January 1 the screws are tightened once again.



It's tough being "a smoker" these days - that label itself has such negative social connotations - thanks to the Singapore Government which is determined to stub it out from the lives of its children who are so easily swayed by public opinion, the media and the powers that be.

Will all the new measures work? Sure ... in part. Will the numbers dip? Maybe ... With rising cigarette prices, the young and the less affluent may find it a squeeze forking out S$10 at a go. But prices have been rising steadily and the faithful (or stubborn or simply addicted according to your point of view) will take it in their stride.

So what then is the point of this exercise, really? To protect the non-smoking majority - the young, the desperate, the easily-swayed? Okay ... let's go with that...

In this rigid socially-controlled country aren't there bigger issues to deal with? I've never heard of any marriages/families/ relationships being torn apart cos of a smoker in the midst. I've known of many lives shattered because of gambling, hard drinking or whoring and yet somehow, these fly under the radar clouded by a lot of talk of " government safeguards" to protect the society.

The Government has loosened it controls on gambling. Two casinos are set to open, 4D outlets are just about everywhere you look complete with long lines of of hopefuls rushing to throw their money away on a million-to-one shot. Ain't they just burning their hard-earned money for no good reason. I wonder what socially-upright message this sends the young, the desperate and the easily swayed? ... Hmm why does that line sound so familiar?

How many roads must a Man walk down before he admits he’s Lost?

I do find it humbling, frustrating even.

The year is coming to an end and you are supposed to find some time to step back and look over all that you had accomplished or in my case... what I didn't.

With that little Blue Bird of Happiness sitting on your shoulder it's easy in January, to think ahead at all that you are setting out to achieve over the next 12 months.

Then come December, with the Vulture of Desperation crapping in your lap, that inescapable thought hits you. "WTF! Where did the time go?".

Then you realise that it would appear you have fallen far short of the mark.

The Anatomy of Nothingness

Why is it that on those rare occasions, having nothing to do in the office is almost always accompanied by an inescapable sense of guilt?

Shit I work as hard as everyone else – in fact – heck a lot more than quite a few others in the office. I come in early unlike most people. I work thru’ lunch on many a day and when it calls for it – I take work home at night and over weekends.

Then every now and then you catch a bone and realize that WTF – I’m all done. There is really nothing else to tend to in my In Box, my emails are all cleared filed or deleted, My desk – well it’s as clean as it is ever gonna get. So that’s it.

You check the time – Fuck! – it’s 2.20pm.

 

Okay the boss is not around today. Shit – boss is on leave and I’m supposed to be in charge … Now I get to look dictatorial. Cool! Hang on he's a director so I guess I have to look directorial. Bleeaah! I rather look dictatorial. I already have a hairstyle reminiscent of Hitler on a bad hair day. Okay okay will settle to look directorial... Hmmm does that mean I can leave early? Damn why is there never a meeting in sight when you need one?

Time 2.35pm … I’ve already looked thru' just about very website I could think of. Trying to look busy for more than 10 minutes is really hard work.

Damn now it’s starting to drizzle … typical Christmas weather! Wish I were in bed sleeping … Who you trying to kid? If I were in bed.. I wouldn’t be sleeping … Nah the TV would be on to the History Channel on the development of rockets or some documentary on evolution. Well that’s still better than sitting here.

Ah good someone’s come to ask me something …. Okay look busy and irritated with the interruption … Shit all he wanted was a yes. That’s not even a four-letter word.

Discreet check on the watch – damn damn – 2.47… this day is never going to end …

Wish I had a proper office rather than a cubicle. You can cocoon yourself with a door. In an open office – that’s kinda hard to do.

Read a Gary Larson comic strip about cows ruling the earth … stop smiling .. you are supposed to be busy.

Ahh a peal of thunder … wonder which idiot thought of that – peal of thunder – quite a mismatch – peal sounding so flower-like and thunder – the male phlegm-induced voice of God … now I’m getting philosophical. Shit … automatic spell correction … takes all the guesswork out of life and my ever dubious spelling.

Type, type, type … half a page done. Am I good or what … I look busy. My forced frowning is starting to hurt. Stop smiling … you are supposed to be pissed, maybe I should hit the keys harder. Maybe I should type using all 10 fingers … Nah let’s not kill yourself.

Take a walk … walk fast and look busy muttering to yourself .. that always clears people out of my path.

Head to the toilet … that’s always a good place to go when you are trying to look pissed. And you can actually do it there... piss I mean. Speaking of piss, it reminds me of a quote I read like five minutes ago while doing "research". It went like this: "Friendship is like peeing on yourself. Everyone can see it but only you gets that warm feeling it brings" ... wow cosmic!

Okay back to my desk. Time check – 3.50pm

Hmmm making progress. Let’s see – quitting time is 6.30pm to that means … wait .. grab calculator .. that’s 160 minutes or .. wait … or 9,600 seconds … I can hold my breath for about a minute before I turn blue .. that’s 60 seconds killed for all time so it will be … wait 9,540 seconds left ….

Damn this is a long day ….

Remembering Pearl

It was a Sunday morning too back then on December 7 1941 when the world was turned on it's head with the preemptive attack by the Japanese on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour heralding the official start of World War II.

*The attack sank four U.S. Navy battleships (two of which were raised and returned to service late in the war) and damaged four more. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, and one minelayer, destroyed 188 aircraft, and caused personnel losses of 2,402 killed and 1,282 wounded. (*Source: Wikipedia)

Since then, the world has seen a number of Pearl Harbours. September 11 in the US, July 7 in the UK and most recently the attacks in Mumbai, India.

Irrepressible Irene!

I attended a talk today by none other than Irene Ang better known as Rosie from Phua Chu Kang fame.

Her's was to be motivational talk held at the grand National Museum of Singapore - part of the National Heritage's Board current campaign Explore Singapore.

"Motivational talk by Irene Ang? You gotta be kiddin' right?" - yup that was my reaction too. For someone who's TV persona was so frivolous, finding substance behind the character was to take a significant leap of faith. But I'm glad I did.

Yes there was the expected Singlish jokes and the ever-present dash of in-your-face humour. But that aside, her story was still moving.

With unbridled honesty, she related the struggle of her youth. Her father was a smuggler of just about everything. Family tension drove her mother to drugs. She found herself homeless three times. She failed her O levels, and her A levels (twice) and when her little band of friends moved on to further their studies, she found herself alone once again.

(bet ya didn't know that!). So all she ended up with was a cut on her head when she hit a rock in her plunge to meet her fate.

But she picked herself up. Ended up acting (earning just about $900 a month as the lead actress on PCK) and later on when to start her own talent agency Fly Entertainment 'cos she realised that many local entertainers in Singapore were getting a raw deal simply because they had no one to fight for them. And Irene hasn't looked back since.

I can't honestly recall all her Seven Steps to Success (or whatever she called it) but it went something like have faith in yourself, realise that the storm of ill luck will pass and when all else fails, put your trust in the God you believe in knowing that you had done everything humanly possible to help yourself.

Okay these weren't exactly earth-shattering revelations but I do have a lot of admiration for her as a person and in her disarming honestly in telling the world of her ... well "colourful" past. So hearing from someone who's fate dealt her a raw hand and yet was able to claw her way back up, adds to the credibility and her talk about self-belief, is a reminder we can all do with from time to time.

So was the hour-long talk worth it? - you bet!