Singapore Short Stories is a collection of short stories for all Singaporeans! Many Singaporeans, ONE Singapore Short Stories! Contact: singaporeshortstories@gmail.com
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Carlsberg Sky Tower, Sentosa
Sentosa: I miss my monorail !
I still remember the days when my family took me to outings in Sentosa. Back then, many years ago, one of the entrances to Sentosa is via ferry at the present Harborfront jetty. The ferry ride was a tad silly for me as sitting in the ferry, amidst 2 or 3 minutes of experiencing the rocking of the ferry, we reached Sentosa! Sentosa is just 600 metres away from mainland Singapore, thus the ferry ride to Sentosa was incredibly short.
A few years later, a road was created, linking the current Harborfront to Sentosa. Entering Sentosa has never become so easy before the construction of the road. The road made it possible for buses, cars and even pedestrians to head straight to the island. Thereafter, the ferry service was discontinued.
There has always been another entry mode into Sentosa, which is via the cable car. But the cable car rides were and are still pricey, the cabins not well-ventilated and the scenery not that appealing to me. Anyway, the cable car system is currently undergoing a revamp and overhaul, hope that things will get better at the relaunch of the cable cars! To experience an uplifting cable car experience, try Hong Kong’s Ocean Park and Ngong Ping 360 cable cars!
I missed the days of the simple monorail trains linking the various destinations in Sentosa. Though the monorail trains were non-air conditioned, there was ample breeze, sun rays which shone right into the cabins. Also to mention, the metallic shutter will often automatically closed in onto the window panes, threatening to ‘behead’ visitors jutting their heads out for a closer touch with nature.
The monorail train is similarly gone. What has replaced it is the Sentosa Express which was launched 3 to 4 years ago. I only rode on the Sentosa Express train when I took it to visit Sentosa last Saturday. The ticket fee was $3 for unlimited rides within the island on the day of purchase of the ticket. However there were just 4 pathetic stations (including a station under development).
I continue to miss my Sentosa monorail for it was a part of me as it has been for many other Singaporeans!
Monday, June 29, 2009
A Salute to the Unsung Heroes!
The unsung heroes in our daily lives, who help to make life possible for us: the drivers of the MRT, buses we take everyday, the foodstall operators who cook the meals we eat during work, the newspaper vendors whom we receive or bought our newspapers from everyday.
Singaporeans love to travel and with airfares hitting rock-bottom prices in the recent years, a large proportion of the world’s population commutes via planes for their vacations and overseas work.
We tug at our luggage at the airport every time we travel overseas and hastily find a trolley to ‘dump’ our luggage on so that we can just push our luggage with ease. We can sometimes forget the very person who makes the trolleys available to us: the trolley operation executives, in my own preferred term.
I was at Changi Airport last week when I caught sight of the rows of neatly stacked-up trolleys in the transit area. It is certainly no joke for the operation executives to assemble the heavy trolleys in a centralized location, taking cognizance of the fact that in the airport, travelers use and dump the trolleys (after use) in almost any part of the airport.
So next time you are at the airport, departing to or arriving from an overseas travel, watch out for these unsung heroes and give them your recognition in the form of a simple gesture: a smile or a nod. Such simple gestures can mean a lot to them, letting them know that their laborious daily ordinary work is being appreciated!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Vivocity: Balloon Sculpting
I am always amazed at the intricate skills of balloon sculptists: how could they manage to craft a myriad of forms resembling animals, objects, toys, etc out from a fragile and soft material called balloon?
Just as curious and amazed was I were dozens of passer-bys who stood still, watching the craftsmen breathe life into the inanimate balloons.
Wash your hands PROPERLY!
Yes, our hands, which we use for a myriad functions in life also contain a legion of bacteria!
It is prudent not only to wash one's hands but also in a proper manner.
I always shrug at the thought of many of the Singapore's toilets having doors. What is the use of washing one hands in the toilet after doing one's "business", only to touch the heavily bacterized toilet one before one exits the toilet?
The way to go, in my opinion is for all toilets here to go doorless.
In the latest campaign by the Health Ministry to remind Singaporeans on the important need to keep their hands clean and hygienic, the above "scare-tactic" poster is employed.
But it is not really a 'scare tactic' per se. Our hands contains a multitude of bacteria and virus which are much worse than the little hideous monsters you see on the poster.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Michael Jackson dies after cardiac arrest
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The myth behind Ngee Ann City !
I deserve to be boxed!
For years, I always mention to others that I am going to Takashimaya or more popularly called Taka when in actual fact IT SHOULD BE NGEE ANN CITY AT SOME OF THE TIMES WHEN I SAY THAT!
I am only enlightened recently that Takashimaya is a shop in Ngee Ann City and Taka does not equal Ngee Ann City and Ngee Ann City does not equal Taka.
If you are going Taka, it means that you really are going to Taka (and hence also going Ngee Ann City for Taka is in Ngee Ann City).
If you are going Ngee Ann City, it does not necessary means that you are going to Taka for you can be going to other shops in Ngee Ann City.
In mathematical terms, Taka is a subset of Ngee Ann. Ngee Ann is a set containing Taka and many other stalls like Kinokuniya, Coffee Bean and many other stalls.
If you are still clueless or made even more confused by my explanation, to just explain in very simple logic:
Taka is to Ngee Ann City as Carrefour is to Suntec City!
Still confused? Then go to ask the receptionist in the shopping centre after you cross the underpass from Wisma Atria Shopping Centre!
Singapore H1N1 Latest News
The Education Ministry's home orders for students returning from overseas and students from schools with cases of H1N1 could only be effective if the students really do obey the instructions and stay home. I am less optimistic of the playful nature of some kids, when you want to keep them at home for some days, they would treat this 'extra holidays' as an extended break to have more fun and to go on more outings with their peers. If they do indeed carry the H1N1 virus, the interaction of them with the rest of the community is then by no means minimised.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Jurong Lakeside District
This is inevitable as Jurong has always been associated with the many industries there.
The facade of Jurong will change in 5 to 10 years' time when the Jurong Lakeside District comes to fruition!
There will be waterfront living, hotels, a new science centre, restaurants, offices and many more! akin another new downtown in Singapore!
Singapore has developed the city area, currently it is revamping the Marina area (South of Singapore) with the Integrated Resorts, new financial centre and the new Marina Botanic Gardens. Thus it is natural that our country is looking into the other regions: west, east and north to develop further.
For East, I believe the theme in the masterplan is to make it a park hub, for the north, hmmm I believe it is already quite congested. Anyway, I really love Singapore for it houses many aspects: natural, cultural, residential, industrial,adventurous,etc all onto one small island which we call home!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Ion Orchard and Somerset 313
Some minutes of drive away is Somerset 313, another up and coming shopping centre on Orchard Road.
I think if I am not wrong, there is another new shopping centre in Orchard Road coming up, though I do not know the name now.
These newest shopping centres will add to the raft of shopping centres on Orchard Road and to more and more crowd.
I realize that after the revamp of Orchard Road, the roads between Tangs and Wisma Atria shopping centre has been narrowed significantly.
It may be time if the authorities could consider sealing off the road completely and converting the road to a permanent pavement. As always, it is real troublesome to get from one shopping centre on one side of the road to another on the other side.
Or a conversion of the street to a pavement on weekends or weekend nights only when the crowds are more?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Free Hippo Ride
There was no clear definite ‘embarking point’ for the ride as it was vaguely stated in the publicity material and banner that the embarking point is around Marriot Hotel.
Nevertheless, we managed to instinctively locate the boarding point: the bus stop outside Tangs plaza.
Singapore Hawker Centre Stories: What do you have for your dinner?
I love to frequent hawker centres in Singapore for the delectable fare at attractive prices the various stalls there offer. Besides, I believe hawker centres are places where Singaporeans from all walks of life, age and status congregate as evident from the ‘façade’ of the customers visiting the hawker centres. Therein lies the appeal of hawker centres: they can really be a microcosm of the Singaporean life. Thus one’s meals at a hawker centre can not only be a satisfying gastronomic experience, one can also glean a lesson or two about the life of Singaporeans and life in general from just a meal in the hawker centre.
Let me recount an experience I had while having dinner in one of the Best Singapore hawker centre on the island last week. Why is it one of the best? The reason is that the hawker centre boasts a trove of stalls, which have won some of the best accolades ever given out to a stall for having really great food on the island. Anyway, I am not telling you the name of this hawker centre for privacy reasons to the ‘protagonists’ in the encounter I will share with you now.
I was halfway munching on my dinner at that particular hawker centre when the actions of an old dish clearer caught my attraction. The old dish clearer was nimble in his work, clearing promptly the ‘left-overs’ and the messy ‘conquered’ plates of delicacies the diners had vacated. He was steady, diligent and it took me not long after to see that he worked together with his wife, both of them decked in the same uniforms of their cleaning company.
Minutes after, I saw the old dish clearer gesturing excitingly to his wife at a table, beckoning for her to come as soon as possible to the table. The dish clearer has stumbled upon an untouched chicken drumstick left by a diner while he was halfway clearing the left-over dishes. Excitingly, he flashed out two used plastic plates to ‘grab’ the drumstick in between and immediately passed them to his wife who next arrived at the table. I heard his instructions to his wife as he passed her the left-over drumstick, “Give it to Ah Mei (name of his daughter I presume)”, the dish clearer said, face beaming, apparent pleased from finding what seemed to him a jewel and guarding the plastic plates and drumstick tightly as he passed them to his wife.
The scene I just partook of was an emotional one to me and it reminded me of a similar experience while I was having my dinner in a hawker centre in Chinatown last year. At that particular busy hawker centre, the dish clearers clearly had their hands full or there was a limited number of dish clearers at the outset as there were many tables left uncleared after dining.
While waiting for my dinner order to arrive at my table, I spotted an old man picking up a used plastic plate from one of those uncleared tables and went around, flitting from one uncleared table to the other, picking up some of those ‘more decent’ leftover food from these table that he could find and put them neatly on his plate, for his dinner!
The next time, when you start to grumble about eating the same old unappetizing food again in the hawker centres or at home, think about the two old men I have just mentioned in the article: What do THEY have for dinner? And “What would be YOUR dinner to them?” Every nation inevitably has its share of the poor.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
FREE ice cream along Orchard Road!
On an incredibily hot afternoon walking along Orchard Road, my Dear and I were pleasantly surprised to see a free ice- cream booth, with many promoters bearing sign that cry out "I am not On Sales", dishing out FREE ICE CREAMS!
And what a generous lot of ice-cream each of the passer by queueing up receives! Its a rectangular block of Rasberry ice-cream put in a plastic cup!
WOW, what a Great salvation to the body and a relief from the heat these ice-creams provide!
Its like finding Oasis in a Desert!
Bricks Jamboree in Changi Airport Terminal 3 - First time in Singapore!
I believe many of us would have played with Lego at some point or another during our childhood.
Australian Pork Taste Challenge at EastPoint Mall
The Australian Pork Taste Challenge was held at EastPoint Mall from Friday, 19th Jun 2009 to Saturday, 20th Jun 2009.
I love pork but I do not know where the pork I consume daily comes from, think I am less fussy when it comes to that.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2009
But look carefully at the picture.. we can see the structure of hundreds of flash lights have been set up along the streets (which will be transformed into F1 racing tracks) for a sight that will GREET the world come 25 to 27 September!: World's Only Night Grand Prix (for the second time)!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Ineluctable phase of life
The moment I wake up everyday, I would find scattered around my blanket, dozens of strands of fallen hairs. The same scene plays out after I shampoo every time: dozens of hair strewn around the sinkhole of the bathroom. Yes, no kidding, I am balding and have been losing hundreds and hundreds of hair each day for the past 3 years, spent a fortune on all products which have promised me miracles but alas what a waste of money.. all these treatments do not work for me. I have to admit that I am balding, suffer from male pattern baldness, which is a sign of ageing.
Talking about ageing, ageing is the ineluctable phase of life, which everyone has to undergo. I am in my 30s, but I could instinctively feel that my energy, vigor and virility level is not as great as in my 19s. In my 19s or 21s, my hair was as thick as a mop, now it is as bare as a desert. I have boundless of energy then, but now I drag my feet home after a workday… I have indeed aged and my complexion has withered too.
With age, one will gradually lose one’s looks… wrinkles will soon form, skin will sag, hair will fall…. all of these are the ineluctable signs of aging everyone of us will have to face and contend with.
However wisdom grows with age. As one goes on in age, one accumulates years of experiences in and of life, learnt from setbacks and lessons and indeed grows wiser. A single word of advice from the elder may save the youth some painful lessons as the elder may have experienced all what the youth would want to experiment before, for example in the context of entrepreneurship. While we must constantly tap on the experiences and wisdom of the elders, we must also take cognizance of the fact that the youth of today shall not be restricted in ideas by what the wise elderly men say, what may fail yesterday may succeed tomorrow! We need constantly break new grounds, seek innovations and improve lives! Let the wisdom of our seniors be great guiding signposts!
Coming back to the point of ageing, modern man has to his advantage, a suite of vitamins and minerals for him to choose to ‘pop’ conveniently into his mouth to safeguard against diseases and ageing. I am guilty of that too, but sometimes I shudder at the thought of more complications arising from the blatant use of drugs among human, which causes more hitherto unheard of diseases to surface in the world!
Our life on this earth is temporary… many things in life like materialistic comfort, status are just fleeting clouds in our life. Our love, spirit and shared good memories with others will transcend our life; our good deeds, honour, contributions to society and children will be our legacy!
With that, I no longer waste my time and money on my scalp, and will not bother with the countless stares people throw at my balding head everyday…Life is short, live to the fullest!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
National Day 2009 Fun Pack
oops, so sorry, I do not have luck to be chosen this year for the NDP, will have to wait patiently for one more year! else I will bring in all the details of the NDP right here on this blog!
Body Languages
In our everyday life, we communicate with our colleagues, friends, relatives and loved ones mainly through speaking and writing. However, as those of us who have learnt a thing or two about body languages know, a majority of our communication with others is via our ‘body languages’: the signals conveyed by our body gestures to others.
I have just read a book about body languages; brilliantly written by two renowned internationally acclaimed world experts in the field of body languages and have since boned up a lot more on this important aspect of communication which is seldom taught in schools. One interesting fact gleaned from the book I would wish to share is that the perfect height ratio for a couple is that the man’s height is 1.09 times that of his partner. However this is just a theoretical guide, most successful relationships are premised on trust and communication.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort & Sentosa Resort World
Whenever I visit the Esplanade, I would not fail to whip out my camera and take a shot of the rising Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort, which though is under construction, is nearing completion (with the target completion date at the end of the year)
When my Dear and I were at the Esplanade last Saturday, I was surprised to see the resort building higher by a few stories!
Our admiration of the magnificent scenery was disrupted by a rowdy group of men (around 4 to 5) and a lady dolled up sexily who suddenly descended close to where we sat.
In light of the recent controversy about the third gender sparked by the Aware leadership tussle saga, I would like to say that I have no disrespect and am neutral to the choices, lifestyle of the third gender but for a transvestite clearing plying ‘her’ trade in full public view at a public place is not really comforting to me.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Singapore River Festival 09: Free museum admissions, River Boat Rides and Hippo Rides!
There will also be free river taxi rides and free Hippo rides from 19 to 21 June and from 26 to 27 Jun.
Visit the URL stated on the poster above for more details! or read my blog for the happenings !
The ISO way of Life
There are 8 mantras to ISO 9001: Customer Focus, Leadership, Involvement of People, Process Approach, System Approach to Management, Continual Improvement, Factual Approach to Decision Making and Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships. In my personal opinion, I believe the ISO 9001 system offers an invaluable guide to streamlining the operational processes of businesses to achieve or even exceed operational targets. I am also starting to believe that one could also adopt the practices of ISO 9001 to one’s personal lives to help achieve one’s goal!
We talk about Vision and Mission in ISO 9001 as applied to businesses. Similarly, for each of us, we have a personal Vision and Mission in our lives. What do we want to achieve in our life? (Vision) How do we go about achieving our vision? (Mission). Similarly we have different customers in our daily lives: be it our parents, our siblings, our wife, our friends, our bosses, our colleagues… how do we go about satisfying their needs in ISO parlance can be interpreted as how we go about forging a good relationship with each of these ‘customers’. Abovementioned are just two examples on how we can apply ISO 9001 practices in our daily life.
We can definitely adopt the systematic approaches preached by ISO in our daily life to strive towards Effectiveness and Excellence! However, ultimately, every one of us is not a robot, we need to practise some flexibility in designing a systematic approach in our daily life.
I have learnt that ‘Focus’ is the most important ingredient towards success in one’s personal life and I agreed to it, but it would make more meaning to use the word ‘Right Focus’. For what use it will be, if one were to focus on an unconstructive pursuit? Whether or not a pursuit in life undertaken by anyone is deemed constructive is really relative. For some, they would find playing computer games constructive, others find doing volunteering work constructive, each has his likes or dislikes in everyday life. What one considers as constructive pursuit for which he channels his focus everyday may be derided by some as waste of valuable time.
A time-honored mantra I love and which I have found true is: “Excel in what you love and you shall succeed”. This is also how ordinary folks can become rich by focusing on their passions, on what they love and what they do best. Each of us is talented in some ways or others; all of us are not made equally. For some, they are good in sales, for others, they are better in research, thus there is really a spectrum in life of things that are available for us to succeed, which lies in our passion!
To find success in life, one must find out one’s passion, focus on it and excel!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Singapore River Festival
But come next week, when the Singapore River Festival 2009 kicks in, these floats will be brightly lit up, transforming Singapore River into a River of wonder!
Revamp of Singapore Short Stories!
Yours Faithfully,
How to add a 3rd column to your 2 column blogspot templates
Singapore PC Show 2009.. what a madness!
My Dear and I attempted to make our way to Singapore PC Show 2009 that was held since Thursday (till today) at Suntec City Convention Hall.
Right straight from the MRT,we were greeted with PEOPLE and yet MORE PEOPLE!
There were barricades set to streamline the flow of the crowd, so at least the crowd was more manageable.
But there was so much crowd, so MANY people just outside the fair halls that we wondered what could be the scene inside the event halls!Saturday, June 13, 2009
Sutdy about Twitter and Facebook in Singapore Universities
Friday, June 12, 2009
Free Briyani Lunch @ Open Field Beside Paya Lebar MRT/Geylang Serai Temporary Market on 14 Jun 09 (Sun)
Come and be treated to sumptuous Briyani Lunch this Sunday.
Details as follows:
Date : Sunday, 14 June 2009
Time : 9am to 3pm
Venue : Tentage @ Open Field Beside Paya Lebar MRT/Geylang Serai Temporary Market
All Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and foreigners are welcome.
This is an event organized by the Geylang Market Business Associations together with in Kampong Ubi-Kembangan Inter Racial & Religious Confidence Circle (IRCC) and Marine Parade GRC & MacPherson SMC Malay Activity Executive Committees to commemorate the birthday of
Prophet Muhammad.
Mayor Matthias Yao will be the Guest-of-Honour.
So do spread the words, and bring your family and friends along!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Korean Ice Cream
These icecreams are truly amazing..melon ice-creams are icecreams not really typical of Singapore icecreams right? While the chocolate ice-creams from Korea also have unique layers of different grades of chocolates.
YUMMY!
The Singapore UNDISCOVERED Retreat for Exhibitionists!
Singapore PC Show 2009 at Suntec City
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
The state of the mind
Just last night, I watched a video clip on the internet about a tragic suicide of a man in India.
The man has climbed to the top of a busy stationary train, stood up and was gesturing in an irrational manner. Just some centimetres away from him was live overhead electric cables! Many people were looking at him, unsure of his next move when out of a sudden, he raised his right hand and gently touched the live cable carrying thousands of volts. In less than a second, his body convulsed, dropped to the body of the train with smokes still billowing from his hand! He was dead shortly …all within few seconds!
It was a shocking image but the same scenes of people losing their minds are played out almost everyday in all parts of the world, resulting in tragic deaths. At home in Singapore, just two days ago, a jobless young man had a tiff with his father after which he ran out to his balcony and plunged to his death a few storiess down. What ensued was unpredictable yet even more tragic, his father who could not take the sudden blow, followed suit and jumped to his death too!
It is sad to see people losing their minds and doing things that cost their lives! Others who do not think rationally too may commit a crime in a fit of passion. All these victims were mainly individuals who for a moment could not think rationally through their problems to come to a solution! While it is sad that most of these victims who were healthy treat their lives with scant respect, others who were not physically fortunate desire for good health, normal lives and battle with the disease which cripple them everyday!
Monday, June 08, 2009
Kidz Academy at Suntec City
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Metta Charity Walk cum Family Carnival
Link from Orchard MRT Station to Wisma Atria Shopping Centre finally opens!
It has been some months since I have stepped foot on Orchard Road, thus I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when my Dear and I visited it yesterday: there was a new link joining Orchard MRT stations to Wisma Atria shopping centre!
Singapore Home Team Exhibition at Suntec City
We learnt more about the Home Team through the array of exhibits. Just look at the photo below on some of the items smuggled to Singapore!
It was also an opportunity for people interested in a career with the Home Team to find out more from none other than the officers who work there, but it this not a career fair, nevertheless a number of people were asking questions about the career options available in the Home Team.
Hmm, to be frank, the crowd at the exhibition was not as large as my Dear and I have anticipated. It is a pity because ALL Singaporeans should come down to learn more about the personnel, the technology, the system and the stories of the officers who keep Singapore safe day and night.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Singapore NDP 2009 Blog
A note to all Parents
Often, parents being the caregivers of their children often assume such a high authority in the eyes of their children so much so that whatever they say, is often taken as the wholesome truth and nothing but the truth to their children.
"You are not clever!", "How can you be a millionaire, don't day dream, wake up to reality!", "You study so much for what, you will never make it BIG in life".....please stop saying these simply humilating words to your children for these words could become self-perpetuating beliefs of the children which could be finally actualised into reality!
Every child has his or her own potentials. Parents, create an environment for your children to bloom and succeed! NEVER NEVER BELITTLE YOUR CHILDREN! It could be one of the worst things parents can do to them!
We have so limited time in our lives! If we do not strive to achieve our dreams now, then WHEN??
Singapore's Cutie!
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
World Book Fair 2009?
Entering the convention hall 402 to 404 at Suntec City, I was greeted by booths after booths of Children's education products. Where are the books, I thought to myself. Moving on, I saw stationery and at last a number of Chinese book booths. Beyond that, the exhibition, 'gave way' to booths which would make this World Book Fair 2009 a 'World Lifestyle Fair ' instead: there was a host of food and drink stalls, stalls offering help on slimming, hair loss and other convenience products!
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What happens to the 31 year old bride groom, Vernon Leong Jun Wei? As the news of this latest unnatural and bizzare death developed, it se...
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I read from the newspapers that the principal involved in the online sex scandal or online sex trade resigned as a primary school teacher i...
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Till now, no identity has been shed on the woman behind the fall from grace of ex SCDF chief Peter Lim Sin Pang and CNB boss Ng Boon Gay. F...