Pasir Laba Musings.

I grew up in simpler times in a 5 room hdb flat, ran wild with friends who lived around, lift catching, basket ball court voiddeck football. We knew nothing about the 5Cs or GST. The Lions had Fandi Ahmad and super sub Steven Tan who put the ball through Alan Davidson's legs audaciously. Sundram's bicycle kick was unbelievable. Singapore won the Malaysia cup and it seemed like life would be good. Hello Chok Tong goodbye Kwan Yew. The MRT arrived, i loved kneeling by the window looking out. We were all so hopeful about the future. Everyone I knew wanted to be a policeman soldier footballer. On August 9 we pretended our badminton rackets were rifles and saluted Wee Kim Wee in front of the TV. I remember walking home from the old national stadium cutting through Gay World at night and it was ramshackle and exotic and I felt a bit scared because I had read the story in true Singapore Ghost Stories of the taxi driver and the bar hostess with sharp teeth. Russell Lee your twisted imagination, and then we were chased by dogs, before they were put to sleep, and we ran, hearts beating so fast into the future and we learnt more about the world so much more about the world and we saw our country change for better or worse, and all the knowledge took the hope from our hearts and we needed god or drugs or nostalgic movies to reassure us that everything was going to be alright.

Press Check Day.

First copy. I wish....

With FASS Vice-Dean T.C Chang. - Many years ago, during my first semester in NUS, I was a 3-day week student. To me NUS was all for that piece of paper, and I wanted to finish my studies quickly. But a talk by T.C Chang changed my perspective. He told us that University was about self-discovery, about stepping out of our comfort zones, broadening our horizons; to do the things you always wanted to do; so I learnt to windsurf, I learnt to dive, I played football for NUS, I discovered Jack Kerouac; I crashed Film & History lectures just for the movies; University is where you make the friends you will keep for life. I did.

Today, I covered an event for FASS and the seat allocated to the photographer happened to be next to where he was seated. Even though he was my lecturer for only one module - GE1101E, he remembered me and even remembered my Geography project on the S-League! Thank you Dr Chang. You made a difference and I am passing on your message to all my students today!

Off popcorn.

Was craving French fries but the Mcdonalds below Lido had closed so had to make do with salted pop corn and root beer at a ridiculous $8.60. Of course we couldn't finish it and I think I am off popcorn for a long long time.

Alien City, Alien Life.

My life has changed so much. At times, I feel like I don't know myself anymore.

Back to work.

I got the green light

I got a little fight

I'm gonna turn this thing around

Good motto to have in your head after a long lazy weekend.

Iskandar

Went to Rocky's new place at one of Iskandar's satellites. Everywhere I go, it seems, I can't escape memories, and the what ifs.

我記得那年生日　也記得那一首歌
記得那片星空　最緊的右手　最暖的胸口
我放手　我讓座　假灑脫　誰懂我多麼不捨得
太愛了　所以我　沒有哭　沒有說

Read my Mind.

I never really gave up on
Breakin' out of this two-star town
I got the green light
I got a little fight
I'm gonna turn this thing around

Stocking up on music at the iTunes store. Maybe these tunes will get me back to where I was before everything changed.

2015

Interest

I think to make good pictures, the world has to appeal to you, be interesting enough to you. Tonight, everything looked fucking interesting; The nameless men sitting in the dark alleys waiting to be discovered by the headlights of my vespa; the durian seller scratching his crotch waiting for customers, the crowd of doomed flies circling the light in the stairwell. But I didn't have a camera with me.

2015

One more month to the launch. Feeling nervous. Wondering how it will do. But looking at the edit, I am confident that my pictures reflect Singapore's growing pains.

Summary.