Unprepared! That's what caused dragon boat deaths

The Straits Times (page 3) carried an article on the dragon boat deaths in Cambodia. According to the article, the inquiry report, which is expected to be released today, is likely to point to the dragon boat team's state of readiness as the main cause of the deaths. It was noted that besides having little time to train for the race, the team was unfamiliar with the water conditions and race equipment, and did not have any practice sessions at the race venue.

死者已已，生者猶在，願諸位節哀與珍重。

The Supposed 21st Birthday

If my findings is correct, today should be Wei Cheng's 21st birthday.

A pity really, whenever I think back on that incident.

Let us, regardless of Wei Cheng's family, friends, acquaintances or complete strangers, celebrate his life, draw inspiration from his gentleman-ness (as described by his former teacher, Miss Jessica Goh) and inherent good-nature (as described by his good friend cum teammate, Woon Howe), and pray for him and his family.

Hope all is fine for his mother and younger brother, Wei You.

Eat with Your Family Day

We are encouraged to knock off by 5pm today so that we can have dinner with our family which most people do not usually have the opportunity to. This is the 'Eat with your Family Day' - a prelude to the official launch of Family Day Celebration tomorrow.

A rather nice and thoughtful initiative but when the (working) environment does not conduce such privilege, it becomes meaningless. I, personally, have not been able to enjoy this since the inception of such initiative; I left my office today at 7:15pm. Dinner with my family? That's 9pm when I reached home. *sigh*

Am I working too hard? Yes, I think I am but not that I like to. I guess it is very much due to the "exigencies of work", something my boss doesn't fail in reminding us.

Now, who says working for gahmen is nothing but leg-shaking? Well, definitely not at where I'm working.

WoW: World of......Whoof

Skill: Blessing of Sovereignty
Casting time: Within a few seconds
Recast time: Whenever desired
Effect: Gain Sovereignty of area(s)

Dogs are adorable, dogs are loyal but......

Dog owners nowadays seem to prefer walking their dogs down the staircases and at void decks of our HDB flats. Nothing so wrong about this, not until their beloved "sons" or "daughters" decide to lift one of their hind legs to "cast" the above-mentioned "spell", claiming sovereignty of wall corners at staircase landings and pillars at the void decks.

Stench or not aside - I wouldn't want to put my face close to the puddles to find out, it definitely is an eyesore to have puddles of their excretion by the walls and pillars. What about hygiene issues?

I kinda like dogs but not an avid lover; I don't keep a dog but I have nothing against anyone having one (or two or three...). But please, walk your dogs at the available parks or little grass patches you may find, and let them enjoy their game of territories building in the nature. Now, aren't their distant cousins - the wolves, doing theirs the nature way?

Adios to Public Service......At Last?

Had a farewell dinner for Lenco with the rest of the team on Tuesday evening at Modesto, Vivo City. Guess the near 2-year stint as a Public Servant is enough for him. After all, it isn't easy to be one especially when one is not a, ahem, scholar.

Someone did comment to me that it is very much a case of opportunities given first to scholars to prove their worth (of monies spent on them) than of elitism instead of meritocracy, and that farmers are just as capable as scholars if not better. I second this analysis. Then again, it would seem to be a variant of elitism.

Ah well, Lenco will be out of the PS scene for quite a while if not forever. Wish him all the best in his future endeavours and sorry for my contributions to his agony and frustrations at work - me being the strict-and-no-nonsense (at work) senior.

Dilemma

I saw on my desk, upon my return from the trip, an envelope bearing the things I was expecting. Since then, I have been caught in a dilemma of whether to do what I have planned to; I am worried that healing wounds would be opened.

I do not wish to cause hurt to anyone with whatever I have intended to do.

I am still considering......

Went Back In Time

Came back from Tanjung Pinang last Tuesday (13 May 2008) after a 6-day stint there. Though it was not my first trip there, there were several new experiences.

Housing
I had never really stepped into many houses there so what I saw during this trip was rather surprising.
This picture shows a narrow lane between two rows of houses built above water; yes, this is a coastal residential area. One would easily mistake these as modest little houses until one steps into one. The floor area of each house is even bigger than a semi-detached house here in Singapore! wootz. And it also cost much less to own one!


Food
I have long knew that people in Tg. Pinang likes their food sweet, salty and spicy but have not tried much of it before. This trip saw me trying several kinds of delicacies and they sure are all very sweet, rather salty and quite spicy.

Durian Ice Kacang @ 8,000Rp (approx. S$1.20)

Well, this durian ice kacang is not very much different from what we can get back here, less the smaller portion of durian and the addition of chocolate fudge.

Before and after of BBQ corn @ ???Rp (forgot le :P)

Barbecue corn the satay way

The corn is first dipped into coconut milk (which makes it salty) then sent for barbecue. Then after, the barbecued corn is glazed with condensed milk to the customer's liking (which makes it very sweet). Didn't taste too horrid, rather tasty actually but is something to eat once in a very blue moon cos it's way too sinful.

Home-made chwee kuei @ priceless

These are highlights of only some of the food I have tried during the trip. Overall, food there cost about half of the price here and the portion is generally about 50% more than at home. So it would seem food there is about 75% cheaper?

Water
Now, water doesn't come everyday in Tanjung Pinang but water not coming for 5 out of the 6 days is gruelling. The only day with water supply was enough for 1 day's of consumption only! Luckily, all of us who were there grew up in the days of water rationing so the theory got to be applied: jit gong lah dum, jit gong ker lah sam, dae sa gong hoe chut lai (one scoop to wet, another scoop to wash away the filth, and you jolly-well come out of the bathroom after the third scoop). Nah, this doesn't really work, but we had to make do with one pail of water each for bathing; we were lucky that the host stocked up water the day before we arrived. Even then, the stock couldn't last for all 6 days and one of our friends was kind enough to bring over an equivalent of 6 jerry cans of water from his home, which isn't very much also.

So fellow Singaporeans, be grateful that we have water by the turn of the tap and please, do use water wisely. Reason for not having water supply everyday? I shall not discuss......sensitive noe.

Power Supply

The "authority" has somehow, decided that every area of the village shall take turns to not have power supply every three days for two/three hours. Nope, they are not being environmentally friendly, but it has something to do with oil prices; the detail of such decision shall not be discussed......another sensitive one.

Romantic night without electricity

Romantic your head! No power = no fan = darn hot and stuffy + no water supply = WTH!!!

We finally decided to adopt the locals' solution:

Power Generator

So all was well during the following power cut, except the water problem. :)


Plant of Fortune

I was told this little plant cost 700,000Rp (approx. S$104.48) and its value will increase rather exponentially with its size. Anyone has any idea what this plant is? Perhaps we can consider making a fortune out of this plant. =P

Ah well, this kinda summarises the little notes of my trip.

Composer is Back...

Composers Block is alive yet again. Kudos to Uncle Freddie.

Have changed the auto-play music to "Favour" cos this is one of the many I like a lot.

Still have much to say about my thoughts of Reuben's music and the 5 of them but my body has long signaled me.

Shall find time to share on this before I go out of town else it would have to be after my return.

Natural Exfoliation

I have been, or rather my skin has been peeling off since Sunday and I now look like a freak; I sure can do with the little "extra" attention from others with this hideous look. :P LOL, needn't spend tens or maybe even hundreds of dollars to perform exfoliation at the facials, just go under the sun for 6 straight hours. =P

Went to the East Coast Park on Labour Day and did a 2 X 45-min-non-stop cycling amid a recovery on the knees, and the price to pay: aches around the knees. Darn. Thought it should have little impact to the knees. That was noob act 1.

Returned the bicycle when it was due, then in less than 30 mins, rented a pair of roller blades. Price to pay for picking up roller blading: blisters on the ankle and the ball of my feet. That was noob act 2.

I suppose that was my second or third time trying roller blading - over several years that is, and every time, I get the blisters. I really wonder whether it was my inefficacy in blading, the wrong size of blades or both that constituted to this.

Seeing others blade is wonderful, trying to do it myself isn't though. I tried emulating others but just couldn't get it right. If only someone could guide me in choosing the right blades, and to blade. Yoohoo......anyone out there care to help?

IRON MAN

Attended a private screening of "Iron Man" a few hours ago at Cineleisure Orchard. That made me one of the few to catch it before all others. wootz.

I vaguely remember watching the cartoon when I was younger but just couldn't recall what the cartoon/comic was all about. But one thing is for sure - this movie has no reference to the cartoon (and/ or comic). Not much of a storyline or plot to speak of; so predictable. Nevertheless, for the lighter notes of it - the silly little jokes and humour here and there, I would give it a 3.5 popcorns out of 5; the other 1.5 made their way into my stomach - literally.

One thing caught my attention was the realisation of Tony Stark - the Iron Man, that the very power to protect can turn into the power to destroy, weapons that is, and that one shall perish under the very weapon he or she creates - something told to me by an Elder. Coincidence?

LOL, my colleagues and I agree that this movie is better than many of those we have caught, so do give it a try if you may wish. I think there isn't many good ones to catch lately anyway.