I landed back in Sydney after a 2.5 week trip home on Monday evening, 3rd Jan 2011. The first SMS I received brought extremely bad news about the sudden deterioration of Rae's condition; she's been battling stage 3c ovarian cancer since she first got diagnosed with it in June 2004. It sure brought back memories of a previous phone call that brought depressing news of a beloved friend's fatal accident when I returned from a business trip to South Africa.
In the few hours that followed, my Tudi kept me updated on her situation via Whatsapp (the application that to me, makes getting an iPhone most worth the $1000 as it keeps me connected to all my loved ones all the time everywhere). Rae eventually passed away at home surrounded by her family and close friends that evening at around 8.50pm Singapore time.
I started this blog entry the day after Rae's passing but I never got around to completing and publishing it until now. Just like how it took many years for me to accept the reality of my Dad's passing, I didn't want to believe that the same Rae I spoke to on the phone just the night before - she who was so chirpy on the phone and convinced me and Tudi that her condition had improved by heaps since we last visited her the week before - will never nag at me to take care of myself or to constantly remind me to blog blog blog so she could know what I was up to ever again.
It was under very strange circumstances that I got to know Rae back in 2005. We got to know about each other's existence through a group of mutual gamer and blogger friends. Because of her illness, she wasn't sure if she would be accepted so she tried to hide behind a made-up cyber identity that she created when she interacted with me. Tudi and I saw through her facade through her blog entries - we knew the level of maturity shown in what she wrote could not have been written by a 20 year old - and were disgusted by her pretence and lies. I still remember the skepticism we had before we agreed to our first face to face meeting initiated by Rae. I am very thankful for that meeting which changed everything we thought of Rae and brought an additional member to my limited circle of trusted friends.
Because of her age and life experience, Rae was more of a mother figure to me than a mere friend. In fact, the care and concern she'd shown me over the years way surpassed what I experienced from my own Mum (not that my Mum doesn't care for me, but that she rarely ever shows it).
Knowing how I always get very bad menstrual cramps, Rae bought me a hot water pack for easing the pain when she saw me off in 2006 as I embarked on a lonely journey to Sydney for a new job. After reading my complaints on how I couldn't find a single decent bolster in Sydney, which affected my sleep, she and Tudi spent a bomb to air freight me one so that I wouldn't have sleepless nights anymore. She also gave me this gadget to replicate those perfectly boiled soft runny eggs from Ya Kun that I love so much such that I may get to have this comfort food away from home.
To lessen my homesickness especially during special occasions, Rae collaborated with BH who was in Sydney on an internship programme to organise a surprise party for the first birthday I spent abroad away from all my family and friends. She made sure BH got the flattering nickname she knew me by - "Chioest", meaning the prettiest - on the cake. Subsequent birthdays were never lacking in presents such as these from her too.
I in turn surprised Rae and Tudi, thanks to my accomplice BH, when I suddenly showed up in Singapore for a 'farewell' lunch she was supposed to have for BH. This is the first ever photo we took together and I had to mosaic Rae's face back then when blogging it due to her wanting to keep her identity a secret to her other younger gaming friends.
We then spent a lovely day just eating our way around, as were what we always did whenever I went home.
Rae loved to eat, just like me. We both loved the same food such as the Dim Sum at Carlton Hotel, frogs legs porridge from Geylang, the daily soups from Soup Restaurant, the economical fried noodles and bee hoon I got for her from Simei etc etc. Up until her condition got so bad she had to stay in bed, we used to feast and pig out by eating at several places a day. As the years went past, we stopped doing that and switched to having homecooked meals at her place instead so she didn't have to tire herself out with all the travelling. In her last days, very fortunately I was back in Singapore the two weeks prior to her passing, Tudi and I got her some Nasi Lemak that she'd been hankering after. I am glad we got to satisfy one of her last cravings on earth.
Rae particularly loved the prawn noodle soup and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (佛跳墙) - my Uncle's specialties - ever since she tried them for the first time in 2008 when she came over to my place for Chinese New Year lo hei with BH.
We even got down to playing a few rounds of mahjong after the lo hei. It was one of the most memorable CNYs I had.
Rae's condition started to go downhill from late 2009 onwards. My heart went out to her whenever I read about the pain and suffering she went through as documented in her journal. I made a little framed card with the best photo of us 3 spending yet another girly session at Rae's house (below) and mailed it to her with all my prayers for her, hoping it will cheer her up and spur her on a little more. It never got to her thanks to either Australian Post or Singpost and I let it stop at that, never once thought of giving it another go at making another card.
Such a short entry to sum up the many years of friendship and already so many regrets to add to the ever growing list: I promised to learn to cook that prawn noodle soup that Rae loved so much but I never got down to doing it; I never tried harder to send my regards to her either by phone, email or mail; I knew Rae loved reading my blog so much she would click into my site a few times a day to check for updates and yet I couldn't put in that extra effort to blog more frequently; I did not insist on seeing her one last time before leaving Singapore when my visit was cancelled due to a miscommunication with her son when in my heart I knew it would probably be the last time I would ever see her and she did indeed leave us shortly after.
I do not know how many more of such farewells I can take. As I combat my homesickness and grief at Rae's departure this recent month, I can't help but wonder what it is I am here in Sydney for, so far away from everyone I love. Personal freedom? Money? Career? Life experience? Are these worth the time lost in spending with the elderly grandparents who raised me, my Mum and Bro who I have not felt so close to until now, and all the friends who love me like Rae did?
Although it has taken me more than a month, I owe it to Rae to finish writing this. I know she's looking down at me from somewhere and waiting eagerly to read my final masterpiece on her. I hope I can do better at updating my blog from now on so that she doesn't have to get disappointed again if she visits when she gets bored in heaven, and all my friends too will know of what's going on in my life and not get worried unnecessarily again.
in memory of rae
year in review - 2010
In contrast to its preceding year, 2010 held more highs than lows for me in many areas. In fact, I pretty much got all that I asked for in my year in review - 2009 entry and more. Some highlights worth mentioning as I round up the year on a positive note are:
I was welcomed into Club 30 with an entire month of celebrations.
On the work front, I experienced the longest period of extreme stress I have ever known followed by an immense sense of achievement as I finally received some appreciation and also got my duly deserved recognition.
Largely thanks to opportunities provided by work and a small part thanks to a boost in my purchasing power, I got to travel to many places new and old both within Australia and around the globe: Byron Bay, Wagga Wagga, China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Turkey, Germany, and Dubai.
Somehow, I managed to find time amidst the busy work schedule to finally pursue my interest in learning a new instrument and new language after years of procrastination.
An unexpected encounter brought along a stream of sweet surprises and extravagant date nights.
Finally, in the whole month of December, I got to spend a heartwarming Christmas and count down to 2011 surrounded by everyone I love and who love me.
I had a blessed 2010. I couldn't ask for anything more. Let's hope this has not resulted in an impossible benchmark of expectations for the coming year.
revamped jit pa ban
Someone reminded me that I used to post videos on Youtube. So I logged in today after years of absence to view my Youtube profile and clips. This particular one reminded me of two very important people in my life, of which one has sadly left us.
I can't help but smile at the synchronised Jit Pa Ban moves. :)
Now that we've all kinda 'grown up', I wonder if we'll still do such silly moves at ktv again?
monkey fairy
The tomboy monkey has blossomed into a feminine (and vain) young lady with fairy wings!
Check out her transformation over the years from 2006 to 2009 and compare the her then with the her now in 2010. She's really getting prettier and smarter by the day. I can see myself in her (that's like indirectly paying myself huge compliments LOL). I just hope she doesn't turn out to be like one of those skanky, detestable, anorexic, spoilt brats with an appalling sense of fashion that we now so often see walking the streets of SG.
One more photo to show you how beautiful she is. She's got perfect double eyelids with long curly eyelashes. I bet she'll be a super heartbreaker in future. The only thing she probably needs to work on is to pray hard for a set of neater teeth to replace those unbelievably crooked baby teeth!
year in review - 2009
I had my fair share of ups and downs this year. On this last day of 2009, I thought I'd take a walk down memory lane to freeze the year's gains and losses, happiness and sadness, into one blog entry before charging into 2010 with newfound energy and fresh hopes for a better year.
A '+' denotes a positive event/emotion while a '-' represents a negative event/emotion.
January
+ I found a sister in Sunshine23.
+ I rediscovered Sydney and Australia in general with a fresh pair of eyes and saw how beautiful this country and her people are.
+ My relationship with Mum got better.
+ I found meaning in upholding the traditional practice of paying my respects to Dad instead of just going through the motion of lighting joss sticks and burning offerings.
+ Bro for the first time, opened up and shared with me his love life, his career plans, his finances, his observations and opinions on the various incidents and events surrounding us, his worries, and most importantly on something that's been bothering me for a long while because I never knew where he stood in this taboo topic and never dared ask - his feelings and thoughts on Dad's passing and how he coped through the years.
February
- I ate my way around Singapore and gained 5 kg in 2 weeks. (!!!)
+ Thanks to the amazing social networking site Facebook, I found my long lost Secondary 3 & 4 form Teacher.
+ I made my first trip back to the island (Pulau Ubin) I grew up on after having permanently 'migrated' to 'mainland Singapore' since the early 1990s.
- I was painfully reminded of my ex boyfriend after watching the movie 海角七号.
- I got severely homesick after coming back to Sydney from Singapore.
March
- In need of some distraction from the downward spiral into depression, I buried myself in work.
+ I finally bought a car and that greatly enhanced the quality of life here in Sydney.
April
+ Went for the Sydney Royal Easter Show for the first time and enjoyed myself greatly.
+ I started plurking, which brought me closer to the animews.
+ I signed up for a gym membership in an attempt to live a healthier lifestyle.
+ Participated in several social gatherings so as to widen my otherwise non existent social circle.
May
- Nothing much. I felt empty.
June
- Felt empty for most part of the month.
+ Bought myself a digital SLR as a birthday present in advance to cheer myself up.
July
+ I got a promotion and pay increment.
+ Went on lots of photowalks with my new camera and polished up my phototaking skills a bit.
- Went into recluse.
- Cried non stop for days on end. Stopped eating and lost 5 kg in 2 weeks.
- My health took a massive hit.
- I was depressed.
August
- Went through the first part of the month in a zombified state. The first realisation that I lost someone I held dear hit me.
+ Took off to Singapore to regain my sanity and rediscovered my self esteem.
September
+ Project Chio was born with the objectives: eat healthier, sleep better, get outdoors more, generally love myself more.
- A severe dust storm engulfed Sydney which affected my lungs badly.
October
- Organised a road trip to Canberra which was disastrous to the point I didn't even want to think about it when it ended. (To Likklegirl: sorry, I didn't blog it as promised as it would have brought back unwanted bad memories)
- Took another weekend off to recuperate in Melbourne which turned out to be a nightmare too. It was so bad I ended up crying more than before.
- I terminated the gym membership.
+ Three of my photos were selected for inclusion in the Schmap Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra guides.
November
+ I fell in love with the Diana F+ kit. I have not purchased it (yet) as I don't have time to devote to her at the moment. I have been reading up on and checking out lomography since.
+ Attended my first black tie event in Australia in which a work paper I wrote and submitted got my nominated company a joint winner placing for the Best New Business Award at the Wagga Wagga Golden Crow Awards.
+ A photo I took and named 'Leaving Home' was featured on the Flickr blog on several days and hit my personal all time high in terms of hits and interest garnered according to the stats.
+ I signed up for guitar lessons.
+ I discovered Muse and rediscovered Nirvana.
- I gave up on a work assignment.
December
+ I re-emerged into the human society by attending parties and functions in an attempt to re-build a life outside of work.
+ I splurged on gifts for myself as a priority over getting gifts for others, which was a first for me. And it felt good.
In summary, I scored well in friendships, family love, materialistic comforts, pursuing personal interests and career but failed terribly at romance, personal well-being and health. So then, farewell 2009. I hope 2010 brings me someone who loves me for me, better state of mind and good health.
little miss sunshine
This is a screenshot of the first page of my Yahoo mailbox. Joyce Wong aka Sunshine23 aka Angel J and I have been emailing each other intensively for the last couple of months.
I am so glad she came to visit last Christmas. Sure, we've known each other since we were 13, but we were never this close like we are now. We bared our hearts to each other, talked and did more things together in the two weeks she was here in Sydney in December 2008 than in the 16 years we've known each other.
From playing dress up, to beaching and bitching, to linking and lancing ourselves silly, to road trips down south, up north, inner west and everywhere else here and there, to stuffing ourselves with food until we developed tummies so big we looked pregnant, to pure inexplicable madness, by the time we said goodbye, we had forged a bond so strong it was like we both gained a sister.
I am glad for it. I would never have gotten through the dark and depressing periods without friends like my little miss Sunshine. And I am blessed with lots of Mr and Miss Sunshines in my life.
Those of you who were there with me as I cried buckets of tears earlier this year, I thank you. It was because of each and every single one of you - the words you said, the things you did, the lame jokes, the virtual shoulders you offered in lieu of your physical presence right here with me, the smses, the emails, the plurks, the blog comments, the phone calls, the MSN chats - that I managed to pick myself up and gradually learned to love myself.
So which one of you wanna tell me a lame joke now? :-*)
are you happy like me?
This is my fourth 100ml bottle now.
I spent two hours in the perfume section of the biggest Myer department store nearest to me, gathering all the test fragrance strips for all that caught my fancy, both male and female scents, hoping to try out something new for myself.
And... I ended up buying the same old Clinique Happy for men. How many years have I been using the same old Happy now? I can't really remember.
What I do remember was how someone dear once made a remark on how he was greatly conscious of the familiar fragrance on his clothes even though he was pretty sure he hadn't put on any perfume before he met up with me, and then realised it was my Happy scent that caught his senses because we both are huge Happy fans. Nice.
Hmm... I wonder if he's still with Happy? Or am I the only habitual sentimental creature?
i am contented with sunday picnics
Why are you turning away from me? You're totally ignoring me now.
You get abandoned when the bottle you came with is used.
One Sunday slightly more than a month ago, I woke to a brilliantly sunny but comfortably cool morning and decided to pack a picnic basket for some relaxing time by the beach.
My picnic bag had the following:
- a picnic mat
- a soft bag stuffed with a huge beach towel for resting my head on while lying down, and a cardigan in case it gets chilly
- a bottle of Brown Brothers 2007 Moscato (I love it for its refreshing frizzante effect and light sweetness; the light alcohol content of 5.5% also makes it the most suitable wine in my stash to bring out when I am driving.)
- a vietnamese chicken and cheese bread roll from the famous Hong Ha shop in Mascot (that was my lunch)
- some finger food for snacking throughout the day: spicy hungarian salami, mild spanish salami, prosciutto, black pepper pate, pickled olives with herbs and potato chips
- fruits: a small bunch of grapes and a few kiwis
- a book (Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho - a birthday present from a colleague) and a photography magazine
- my camera
The above photos were taken when I was lazing on the ground reading my book. I was happy 'cos I had everything I loved around me. There wasn't anything else I wanted on top of what I had at that very moment. Really.
FYI, this was at Maroubra, not the main beach area, but where the land slopes upwards along Marine Parade towards the cliffs. There is a soft green grass patch near Mahon Pool that's perfect for picnics and a few rolls on the slopes.
four winters of me
I am experiencing my fourth Sydney winter since my arrival here in August 2006 and I am getting hit by the cold very badly this time.
Winter 2006:
I didn't need much layering and the most I did was carry around a cardigan I occasionally threw round my shoulders. My everyday attire then consisted of my Birkenstock sandals, a simple tee and either jeans or three quarter pants (see left photo below). I could even bare my back and shoulders in elegant evening wear for formal functions (see right photo below). And I never fell sick once the whole time. Oh and by the way, see how skinny I was then? I have always averaged about 49-50kgs up until shortly after then.
Winter 2007:
I remember going on a road trip to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends in the deep of winter. All of them were fully wrapped up in North Face ski jackets, covered shoes or boots, and there was a girl who had beanies on. I was in my standard tee, jeans and Birkies attire throughout and got a lot of envious looks from my road trip mates (see left photo below). I earned the title of being 'cold blooded' right around that time.
That winter, I was fortunate enough to go on a ski trip complimentary of the company. Whilst most others had thermals and multi layers beneath the ski gear, just a ski jacket over a normal tee sufficed for me (see right photo below). Having gone through three weeks of harsh Canadian winter in the Whistler mountains where I barely survived getting caught in a blizzard mid-mountain at -30 degrees celsius (thinking back, I don't know how I managed to ski my way back to safety in the almost zero visibility weather and with the cold whipping me to near complete numbness.), I found Australian winters extremely mild. I did two full days of intensive skiing in the Australian Snowy Mountains without feeling like my bones were going to break. Now I wouldn't dream of accomplishing a black run without breaking a few ribs. On the weight, notice how my arms look bigger below than in the pics taken in Winter 2006? I reckon I must have weighed about 52kgs here, but hey, there was still no sign of the double chin yet and I could still fit into my pair of Levi's jeans bought way back in 1999.
Winter 2008:
I started doing a bit of dressing up for winter in order not to get mocked for not possessing chic winter style like most of the Aussie chicks here do (see left photo below), but those were mainly for reasons to do with my own vanity, not that I needed the extra layers for warmth. Look at the photo on the right and you see me in a thinly clothed, above knee length vintage dress playing on a desserted beach (cos it was too cold for most to play on a beach then!) in the winter cold. You may not be able to see from the two photos but in this period, I had developed a slight double chin that stubbornly refused to go away. And hey those dark jeans I have on in the left pic were newly bought cos I couldn't fit into my faithful old Levi's from 1999. Average weight in that period was about 54-55kgs, I think.
Winter 2009:
This winter has been a really miserable one for me. I have been sick every other day. Just this past weekend, I had been nursing a fever and flu from Friday right through to Monday (today). My body can't adjust to the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors such that I have to wrap myself up from top to toe when out (as I shiver from the cold once outside) and take everything off except for the basic layers for decency when indoors (I start perspiring the moment I step out of the outdoor cold). This is a very strange phenomenon for me indeed, seeing how I had no such problem for so many winters and in worse ones than this current season. And boy, am I disgusted to announce that the weight now stands at 58-59kgs (a vast 9kgs difference from that in 2006! kill me please.)
I guess this is nature's way of telling me I am no longer 18 but soon approaching the big THREE. Just how much harsher can the ageing process get? Increasing of age and decreasing of metabolism aside, another major contributing factor for my case is the significantly increased work responsibilities - with accountability comes added stress and anxiety - resulting in less time for relaxation and exercise, and less healthy diet ranging from one extreme of not eating at all in a day to the other of binging on junks like chocolates or chips.
With the coming of the new financial year (and the turning of 29) in July, I think it's timely to do some personal wellbeing planning on top of the budgeting and business modelling we have to do on the work front.
whispering autumn
(Picture pinched from Beakee's etsy shop)
It was love at first sight for me when I came across it here. Then when the item was eventually listed for sale, I grabbed it without much hesitation.
Autumn has a very special place in my heart, mainly due to the unforgettable one I had last year - the beautiful memories are still as vivid in my mind as if the events took place just a second ago. Even blogthings.com confirmed that I belong in Fall.
Reading about the Whispering Autumn where Beakee describes the soft palette of falling leaves on her etsy site:
"Autumn themes are usually expressed in terms of blazing reds, oranges and yellows. Beautiful in a distinctly fiery way, entirely befitting the end of a glorious summer season, of course. But to me, autumn heralds the arrival of cosiness, cooler days and upcoming holidays, so I personally prefer a more muted palette.";
I just have to have the Whispering Autumn on me for whatever remaining cool Autumn days this season has to give and for the many more beautiful ones to come. It should be on a jet plane to Sydney very soon and I can't wait.
the unbelievable
More than a decade ago, my GP tutor in JC posed a question on what we hope to achieve in our lives to which I answered: “I want to make an impact on the lives I come into contact with”.
I seem to vaguely remember writing about this in my previous blog some years ago but cannot seem to locate that particular entry.
I am once again reminded of my aspiration when I had a peep in my ex-teacher’s newly established blog – The Unbelievable. Ms Lim, in her debut blog entry, attributed one of her two motivation factors behind setting up her blog to one of her dearest ex-students, yours truly.
She wrote: “I am an educator myself, and I never knew the impact we can have on the kids that we meet in class everyday till recently, when I met up with an ex-student of mine, that I taught some 13 years back. I read her blog; her little reflection on her meeting up with me. I am deeply touched, and I finally understood the impact we can have on an individual's life, and how after many years, it still lingers on.”
How true. To this day, I still remember the teachings from the many great mentors I have been very fortunate to have known. Even my little ambitious statement of hoping to make impacts on others was derived from something I heard from a senior in secondary school who gave me support through some of my darkest years and who first shared with me the philosophy of paying it forward when I was in my mere teens.
Today, I am greatly heartened to hear that my blog has touched some souls out there (many are now my friends too!) and has slowly become a source of inspiration and encouragement for many (you know who you people are *wink*). No matter how small the audience is, I am proud to have made some kind of positive impact on others. I hope my influence in getting ‘The Unbelievable’ started will blossom into something beautiful for Ms Lim and her readers too.
pulau ubin
My housemate Becky happened to mention one day while we were at home in Sydney that a friend of hers (let's call her N) is doing research on the conservation of Pulau Ubin. Since I was born and bred on the island, Becky thought it a good idea for N to interview me. We were then introduced to each other on email a few weeks ago when I was having a short break in SG. After a few rounds of emails, we discovered to our pleasant surprise that N's parents and grandparents know my grandparents. They were neighbours who lived just 10min walk away and my Grandpa's elder brother even sold his house to N's grandparents many decades ago.
And so, we arranged a trip to Pulau Ubin for memory's sake. We arrived at the revamped, modern looking Changi Jetty early in the morning at 8+. I don't like the new outlook of the jetty. The look and feel of the bumboats and the jetty are a total mismatch.
I was very happy to see that the boats used to ferry passengers across to Pulau Ubin are still the same. I always thought they were going to be replaced by modern ferries like those used for transporting passengers to Sentosa Island and that many of the old bumboat uncles would be made redundant. My grandpa used to own one of these boats too ferrying people between the old Changi Jetty and Pulau Ubin. He has retired now and his boat was scrapped years ago.
The information kiosk is the first landmark you'll see after disembarking from the bumboat at Pulau Ubin Jetty. There seems to be more and more of these brick buildings sprouting up everywhere on the island. I miss seeing those traditional old wooden houses with zinc roofs around.
See the green bottle hanging on the wall next to the 2008 calendar in the first photo below? It's actually a syrup drink in animal shaped bottles and was one of my favourite drinks when I was little. I would always go for the purple-coloured one in the elephant-shaped bottle. Photo on the right shows the empty village square on the island. Sad to see it semi-desserted as it used to buzz with life everyday.
Here's a random semi-abandoned wooden about-to-totally-fall-apart bridge that had seen better days.
Here's looking through the backdoor of an old house that still exists on the island. I wonder how the occupants feel about the diminishing island community due to the government's plan to take over ownership of the whole island for development. Even the once famous 大伯公 temple is longer there.
At least the opera stage is still standing. It has been around in the centre of the village square since before I was born. I used to watch Chinese opera here when I was a kid. I am glad they didn't demolish it as it has great significance to the people of Ubin.
Here's how it looks when it's all done up for a performance. This photo is taken from the Pulau Ubin Stories blog started by N to document the news, development, stories old and new and anything related to Pulau Ubin. There was a Ubin Hungry Ghost Festival Wayang held here in August 2008.
Thanks to N's friend from Nparks, I managed to find my way to the plot of land my old house used to sit. There is nothing left there now. The land is overgrown with trees and is just another forest now. However, I recognise this abandoned well you see in the below pic. It was where we did our laundry outside the bathroom. The durian, mango and jackfruit trees still standing among the wilderness helped with the identification of the exact location where I once lived. It was a sad moment for me to see for myself that the old house has indeed been completely torn down.
I have a lot to say about the way the government handled the whole buy-over-land-from-villagers-for-development-but-changed-its-mind-after-chasing-villagers-off-the-island-cos-of-many-factors-and-hence-island-left-empty-for-supposedly-conservation-purposes fiasco. Thousands were uprooted and homes were destroyed, and for what? I don't buy all the bullshit about conservation because that was something that came about much later. There would have been no special requirement for conservation efforts if the islanders were left to lead their simple ways of life. We used to see many more exotic species of animal and plant wildlife way before the special Chek Jawa Wetlands project came about. People exclaim with delight now when they see a wild fowl or a wild boar on the island and attribute this to the environmentalists' efforts. But hey, do you know we used to see these wild things running everywhere way before the government stepped in to claim the island for whatever it was they wanted to do? What is the point of spending millions destroying something hoping to build something better only to regret and then spend more millions trying to restore it but find that some things can never go back to what they once were? Well, to be fair, maybe I didn't get the big picture. But then, who has been informed of the big picture and if there was any to begin with? I look forward to being enlightened. I was and still am greatly saddened to see the islanders' lives and heritage being manipulated as if they were merely another statistic.
growing up
One of my to-do tasks this trip back to SG is to dig out those old photo albums and scan the important photos so I have the electronic copies before the actual photos disintegrate over time. Thanks to Ginn who supplied the equipment and time to undertake this project for me. I still do not have the full collection scanned but will do so slowly in stages. Here are some teaser shots for your viewing pleasure.
I was already doing the Saturday Night Fever moves when I was one month old. That's when I wasn't playing with my favourite airplane toy in our Ubin house.
Here you see my pretty Mama celebrating my first birthday. If you look closely, we used to have a small TV in Ubin (in the background of the first pic below). My family taught me to ride a motorbike when I was really little, or so they wish to but failed. LOL.
Don't you think I look different in each photo? They seem to be photos of different kids. My friends who saw my old photos all commented that my looks seem to change all the time over the years.
Here's me hanging out alone with a bottle of drink along the corridor.
And Bro was born. He was a super chubby baby. Contrary to mine, his looks didn't change much over the years.
Celebrating Bro's first birthday with Dad and Mama. This is a super precious photo to me as I discovered we only have a handful of pics that include Dad and this seems to be the one and only pic I could find of the whole family.
Here's Bro wearing my sunnies and standing in the middle of the huge garden we had in front of the main house. Notice it's covered with green green grass now and no longer bare like what can be seen in the motorbike pics above? You can see the small vege plot and chicken coop behind more clearly here too.
There was a lot of effort put in to beautify the garden over the years. Hence you see lots of greenery at this stage when I was about 5 or 6.
Our main house faced the sea. In the first pic below, Mama and Bro were standing on another house on stilts built on a wooden bridge that extended out about 25m to sea (I think). You see parts of the beach in the background. This additional house on stilts had 2 bedrooms and was a minute's walk from the main house. It served as a guesthouse for our friends and also as our play area when we wanted to fish or play mahjong or just masak masak. Did I mention that we could see the sun set right in front of our house every evening? In the second pic below, you see me with food in my mouth. I used to have my dinner on the bridge watching the sun set on most evenings.
Here I was 6 and wearing my Kindy uniform. Second pic was taken on board our Grandpa's wooden bumboat that ferried passengers between Changi and Ubin jetties.
That's Grandpa behind us (Bro, Cousin and I) steering the boat.
I didn't know we were already doing the -.-v when we were little.
Above are only some of the interesting photos. You can view all the others here.
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