2006年08月27日Sunday

Hairy Deal

There is nothing more frustrating than a bad haircut according to P. All his life, his mum (owns a salon) has been giving him his cut and she is good :) I know coz she sometimes cut mine too. But here in BJ, it is not so easy unless you spend money to go to Koreans or Japanese.... but guys you know, who goes to these pple except the girls who REALLY mind a bad cut. Outside Tasty Taste, one of the better cake cafes (absolutely LURVE their green tea cheese cake), some "free lance" hair dressers actually put chairs under some trees and hey presto, their own little "salons" frequented by locals who want a simple and cheap cut. I mean they do try to pick up some of the hairs they cut off instead of leaving them on the ground but they throw these into the nearby bushes.... and they are fast, since customers will wander off to their 'competition' a metre away. I figured most of their customers are guys who don't mind a wrong snip. These "free lancers" may even earn more than they do in a salon shop since they charge their own fees and have no overheads. You don't even need to clean up. Just pick up your stool and walk away :) Kind of admire their free spirit..... no one evers stops them or chases them off. It's all in the name of making a living which I think even the cops understand.
Posted by Sakuragi at 16:12:34 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

2006年08月26日Saturday

A child's gift

Today was the launch of "Overseas Singaporean Portal" (http://www.overseassingaporean.sg/) which connects chilli crab reps in all parts of the world via the embassies. And of course FOOD was the main event in BJ since the DPM Wong was attending it in Shanghai. Actually in all Spore evnts, ain't food always the main event? We were all munching away at Hainanese chicken, sweet sour fish, mee siam and beef satay (catered by Traders' Hotel) while DPM was giving his address but in Shanghai, the poor things had to wait and listen. Later we tried our hand at chatting with New York and it was really like having MSN except this laptop had a camera and microphone and I don't have one at home. This is most prob a good idea since many people chat nowadays and what better way to link all fellow laksa-lovers than the chatroom to whine abt how we miss Old Chang Kee. Today's party was also a time for Spore kids to meet up and run around and learn strange Teochew phrases which you don't get at your usual international school in BJ. Had fun running around with the younger ones who charm with their innocent smiles and surprise hugs.... there is something touching in a toddler holding your hand or running from a distance and throwing themselves to hug your legs. Call it the biological clock but I really like kids when they are below 3 years old (besides the screaming and puking and throwing things and saying NO to you and most imptly, not your own kid). They somehow stop hurling themselves in your arms with abandonment after a certain age when they learn decorum and poise. Nothing essentially wrong with proper behaviour at proper occasions but there is beauty in a child when he/she pretends to be an airplane and runs around without caring for the stares they evoke. You can't help but smile :)
Posted by Sakuragi at 22:43:15 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

The culture of cute

The thing about Japan is that it is the originator of CUTE. Yeah, think Hello Kitty or Doraemon or even Kimu Taku (my kind of cute :)) and I cannot imagine how they can mesh concrete city life, high technology and CUTE. Even if they had a not-so-great history or maybe a not-so-great social/crime living, you can never accuse it of being boring and rude. Even if Spore tries to be innovative or fun hippie or attempts to create a unique identity in food and arts, there is a childhood fascination with Japan's brand of traditions and colour. Look at their food!! Ok, so nothing interesting about ramen (oh no! I see P frowning), but you can't beat sushi's intricate cut and mochi's sweet display of texture and taste. These pple created a whole global rave out of raw food for goodness sake!! Was watching a documentary about how Japanese celebrate the change of seasons with food and wine and tea.... and it just amazes me that they are just different in their neat living, stylish dressing and pretty eating. ALL of them eat pretty.... from the well to do to the hardworking blue factory workers, they just struck me as.... a different class. Wonder if it is because these days when I walk among BJ's locals and I see them spitting and dirtying the very place they work and live and yes, even sleep... and I am not saying that Japan is the best of all and the rest is crap.... but it is just different and I know once a upon a time, they eat pretty here too (have read too much Life and Death in Shanghai I think).... Just wondering what it might have been if Mao had different ideals in mind..... it's already amazing that the pple here survived.....
Posted by Sakuragi at 16:13:41 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

2006年08月24日Thursday

Old farts

The thing about being old or older is the ability to think back and remember all the fun and good times you had. Was attempting to roller blade in Chaoyang Garden in the evening/night yesterday and it really seemed like 6 years back when I did night blading with a bumch of fun pple..... a motley crew from my uni, church and even frens of frens and of special mention, guy "A" whom I met thru my dating website. Nope, I wasn't SIGNING up for the thing - I organised several events for this website me and my classmates designed for our FYP in uni - and he showed up for a few. "A" was funny, some of you may remember me calling him "uncle" because there is no better word to describe him although he is only in his 30s. Stingy yet sporty, chatty yet sometimes irritating, he would wear those bright multi colour biker shorts to roller blade and brag about how good he was at roller blading. He is the ultimate "uncle" bachelor sports geek who counts all the cents, confident but never sure why he cant get a girlfren altho we tell him he was merely PICKY..... he was a character me and my frens grew to both love and be irritated with.
Posted by Sakuragi at 09:58:18 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

2006年08月23日Wednesday

Somethings you shouldn't do

After a rather good dinner today, I had decided to be brave. Bravado has its own elements of silliness but hey, it must be the good dinner that throws good thinking down the drain. Since I had forgotten to eat my medicine after lunch today, I thought I will just eat the 2 packets of pills TOGETHER with the pukiest black brown liquid packet I was supposed to drink after dinner. Now I realise it is a very bad idea coz my tummy has decided, good dinner or not, everything is going to come out after swallowing so many not-so-yummy things at the same time. I really hate medicine..... I can't believe little J likes it. She should try drinking mine. It so spoils a good dinner memory.
Posted by Sakuragi at 23:02:02 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

2006年08月18日Friday

Losing small treasures

It is kind of fun trying to teach a 3 yr old new words and phrases :) They mimick almost anything and many things come out like huh? They try though, through smilar sounds and cheeky grins which can send you to gales of mirth or at the very least, bring a smile to your day. Was commenting that kids of our later generation will probably not know dialects like Teochew, Cantonese and Hokkein unless you stay in Taiwan or Guangzhou or Hong Kong.... anyway, MOST probably not in Singapore. How many of our peers actually speak dialect to our kids? My own mum didn't teach me much dialect. I got most of the few stuff I know from my grandma who thinks it's funny to call a towel "twa-lah" and I think it is similar to what it is called in Malay. I wouldn't know since my fav web-based translation tool doesn't have Malay in their many languages. She also kept correcting the way I said "zhor ni" (meaning what or why) and I remain clueless on the difference between Teochew and Hokkein. And for so many languages you learn or are interested in learning, dialect doesn't seem to make the cut. It used to be a way to talk to my grandparents, however limited a vocabulary I possess. Even if our kids in the future do not NEED it per se but it's like losing a colouful piece of the past. All the funny and even melodious sing-song sounds we make to indicate meaning..... even 3 yr olds giggle at them.... where will they be in 10 year's time? Wonder if the army boys will still use it to curse and swear in 10 year's time.

Posted by Sakuragi at 22:03:00 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

2006年08月17日Thursday

Gen X in China

Saw the morning variety program and it was reported there are 9 ways to single out the new generation X in China these days: 1. They don't speak so much and talk softer, 2. When they speak, they will deliberately insert words or phrases of Jap/Eng/French, 3. They will not wear mass produced fashion (sure a not?), 4. They are Net-savy and are CEOs in their own web sites, 5. They are (or pretend to be) interested in the latest financial news and probably dabled in share trading, 6. They will insist on watching original DVDs (HAH!!! As if!!).... aiyah, forgot the last 2. But anyway found it interesting.....  it is sort of true when I do go around and see these young pple. They do talk differently from the older generation and like our own kids, like to gather in fast food restaurants and just discuss life, social activities and how they want to go overseas to study. Not THAT sure abt the dressing part still though :) But at least their pants do not end at their ankles :)

Posted by Sakuragi at 10:58:29 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

2006年08月16日Wednesday

Ball sense

Having only one TV in the house sometimes mean I HAVE to watch sports and tonight it was the qualifying game of Asian Cup Championships between China and Singapore. I never really understood why soccer must be played on such a large field with men running after a ball and tripping each other, but hey, I am not the one with testosterone. One commentator had said that with "such a team like Spore", China had to win. P was indignant of course but I was not so sure. I mean till Spore pays professional football players to play full time, I don't think we had the quality. Just looking at the number of foreign imports we have, I just don't have that faith in our 4 million population to produce a winning team. Cruel and evil and probably unfair, I know, but I have seen bits of S League and heard the sighs of my ex-boss (bona fide soccer fan - diehard who booked a whole disco space for our dept to watch World Cup and even included food and drinks!!). The prognosis - not so good. Spore team almost proved me wrong but during overtime, China threw in a penalty goal and we lost 1-0. Ah well, at least we did well for 90mins :) in a way, I am proud :) P was fuming all the way thru commentary until I threatened to mute the whole thing. Of course chinese commentators will say nice things abt chinese team what. We so need Channel News Asia here!!! Oh yar, another wierd thing I learnt in TV today: Jackie Chan is the spokesperson for bird flu and he can't really speak that good English - not very CLEAR.... I wonder why him?
Posted by Sakuragi at 23:41:11 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Dirty laundry

Before I forget again, do visit Stuff for photos on National Day. Yup celebrated Spore's 41sy bday in BJ with the embassy giving a bash in China World Hotel. Strangely, the party is more for foreign guests than for Singaporeans themselves although all were welcomed and none turned away. And most just came to have good food :) We had Hainanese chicken rice, Hokkien noodles, teh tarik. My first formal party here in BJ.... interesting to stand around in heels for 5 hrs. As I had the high life, eating and making merry and travelling for fun..... I mean, it was a whirlwind of sorts and yet.... Currently reading John Grisham's Street Lawyer and it was describing the homeless and poor and how pple just expect them to disappear and go away to keep the streets clean. I wonder where will all the poor go in BJ when 2008 comes? Will they be chased away to other provinces, just to keep BJ squeaky? Was in Sanlitun the other day and a child was chasing me down the street to beg. He was prob on summer break, clothes dirty and torn shoes. Kept say "give one" in chinese and I was too afraid to take out my wallet in case he snatches it and run. Felt a bit guilty being able to enjoy so much and yet there are pple who needed help. Of course some say these poor children are part of syndicates out to prey on the kind and compassionate. Suddenly I miss my own church in Spore. It is a good break from hectic church work but I always felt I did something for pple who needed it, however small and insignificant the help was. Yes I was often pushed to limits and I hated doing things I am not familar with and work with strangers who demanded skills I don't have and I rebelled tremendously against it internally but it was something I was proud to accomplish at the end. I both hated and loved it - I was wierd. I am not that compassionate by nature and my church helped to plug the holes in my soul :) I wasn't sure I was going to go back to volunteering after I go bk to Spore but now I think I will. God works in strange and mysterious ways. Meanwhile, I will give to kids/pple on the streets when I can. Even if they are syndicates, at least my motives are clear and I shouldn't let that stop me. How my money is used in the end will be determined by God and I let Him decide :) 
Posted by Sakuragi at 16:27:57 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

The good year

In 10 days time, it will be a year since I came to BJ. Wow.... imagine the rust in my brains now :) When I was working, I can't wait to be free and lobo and just STONE my time away. Even trips and holidays are not enuff, I needed a GOOD break. And now when I am on a break, I just wonder when I look back, will I regret the year I have 'lost'? It will be sort of like a blank in my resume.... a "what-the-heck-have-I -been-up-to" kind of period. Like what R often says, if someone asked me what am I busy with, I can't truly give specifics. The ability to STONE and LAZE is all honed up and I cna do that for one whole day, even 2, with no particular effort now. Somehow, going around BJ, having meals and going shopping, reading, learning french and tennis..... it all just takes time. Even cooking. I feel myself getting restless again, like when I was working - can't sit still in my office and just muck at my work all day, then go home and STONE in front of TV, eat and bathe and then sleep and the cycle repeats itself. Perhaps it is time, as they say, to go home. To change the routine a bit. Pple tell me to enjoy the "tai tai" year and not everyone has a chance to do this in their lives.... I agree. Never got around to thinking I am one since I never dress like one and even got mistaken to be ayi just recently :) I was insulted in a way but thinking abt it, I had come with the intention of blending in right? So I won't get mugged on streets when I venture alone? So should I be happy or go shopping right away?  
Posted by Sakuragi at 16:11:34 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |
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