Alas the year is slowly creeping away...

It's been a few months since my last post and I realized that the months are gradually creeping away and before we know it another new year will descend on us. I must say the year so far has been filled with turbulence, not just for me but I'm sure for many people too. Personally, yes it has been a year of changes and a year of reckoning in some respects, but nothing that is insurmountable. Indeed I've been giving much thought what I would like to do with my time if I have some to spare.  I have harboured thoughts of pursuing another degree or to look for something more satisfying that I can leave as a legacy to my time on this good earth. No, don't get me wrong. I am but a little being and am in no position to change this world but I feel perhaps I can do in my own little way a contribution or two to make it a better place for everyone.

I love listening to the birds chirping, looking at the horizon while standing or looking across an open undulating land from a hilltop. I love watching the waves rushing up the shores, or even when they are lashing at the breakwater. Perhaps there's a bias towards nature in mind though this didn't take centrestage in my life all these years. Why then do I feel this way in the latter part of my life? I even attended a talk by Dr Jane Goodall, the primatologist, and hear her sharing on preservation of wild life and the need to keep the earth from being gobbled up by buildings, roads and other structures that require the uprooting of trees and shrubs.

Meantime I was distracted by a call asking me to book tickets to Elton John's concert. Indeed that is my other interest - music. Not an accomplished musician but I do love much for they are the tracks that help transport my mind to the days of yesteryears where things were much simpler and less complicated. It's time, so I am reminded, for me to log into my Youtube and enjoy some old music.

Reminiscing London

My first visit to London was in sometime in Spring of 1977.  London, a city that I had read so much about when I was in school, was to be my "home" for a good five weeks, with a week in Birmingham. The first impression was that London was a very old city, people were friendly and there was an air of formality in the way they spoke. I caught the train down to the city and checked into a hotel at Queensway. It was another old building and very Victorian in design. The hotel was run by Indians, who of course spoke with an English accent. After checking in, I wandered about the neighbourhood, discovered that Sunday was meant to be a leisurely day at the park, at the open air market or at Speaker's Corner. It was my first encounter with the Underground tube, but it wasn't difficult to get accustomed to him and especially with the help of my colleagues based in the London office then located at Fleet Street. Before long, I was bus hopping to Trafalgar Square, Carnaby Street and Piccadilly Circus. I was on a training attachment with the British tabloid newspapers, spent time in their newsroom to learn how they operated. It was meant to be an exposure for me before I took on the responsibilities as a New Editor in the newspaper back home.

I love London, for its theatre, its museums and all things British. Language was of course not a barrier though I had to time and again remind myself that I had to watch my spending lest I bust my budget. Food and transport was much more expensive than back home. I did what tourists would do in London, though I wasn't quite a tourist by day. Certainly by night, I took in the sights and even went to the casino where lo and behold I meant another fellow colleague who was also there on holiday.

I traveled to Birmingham by train; and was attached to another tabloid paper. The pace was slower here and indeed there was a noticeably larger population of people from India and Pakistan. I remembered the News Editor spoke to be about the "black edition" which I didn't quite understand the reference at first. He explained that it was the newspaper edition that was meant for the foreigners who were working in the city - he meant the Indians and the Pakistanis. One thing that I didn't regret visiting Birmingham was my visit to Debenhams Department Store where I bought an executive briefcase and a pair of semi-boots that were to last me for years.

Before long, it was time to leave London. I looked back at Big Ben and wondered when would I be able to come back again for another visit. Little was I to know that since then I had re-visited London another three times.

Remembering Goofy and Snowy

March 12 and March 17 - two poignant dates in my calender. In 2009 I lost the first pet Goofy and then a year later 2010 it was Snowy. All's left is their son Richie, who behaved oddly on 17 March around the time of Snowy's departure at 8.10pm. He suddenly got up and sniffed incessantly around the dining table and the room as if in search of someone, or something familiar. It went for a good 20-30 seconds before he sat down calmly while everyone look in amazement. How the time flies but we still couldn't forget the two lovely pets we had, with their snow white fur, their camaraderie and their warmth. Indeed ever so often we speak about them as though they were still around us to share our happiness as members of an extended family. Now we can only look out into the open space, call out their names and wish that they enjoy their freedom together.

Destruction, devastation....whither the world is going

In recent months we have seen so much devastation and destruction of human lives that it raises a few eyebrows and beg the question: where is the world heading? There was the outbreak of civil disturbances in the Middle East which swept across many countries. Guns were turned by those in power against their very own citizens all in the interest of the protection of their own wealth. The down under Australia was hit by floods never before seen, when only a while ago it was fighting uncontrollable forest fires. Intermittent earthquakes rocked cities in north Asia from Taiwan to China, until last night's monstrous quake rupture Sendei city in northern Japan. It brought with it a tsunami that punctured the lives of many innocent victims, disrupted civil life and captured the news headline of all media across the globe.

While many may not link the two, I have always felt that much of the movement in tectonic plates would have been triggered at least in part by the many underground nuclear tests. Governments in Asia, from Pakistan, India to China and North Korea have been conducting underground nuclear tests. The human triggered shaking of the ground beneath the earth would invariable cause a disturbance to the already sizzling core of the earth crust.

What can we expect next? Another war in the Middle East, another superpower intervention would appear inevitable if the people who seek liberation from dictators are not to be left abandoned. Bombs will be dropped and there will be more burning...while everyone is talking about saving the environment. FAO has warned of the spiralling cost of food production; given the rise in oil prices caused by the outbreak of conflagration between oil-producing governments, we can only see high inflation with no solution in sight. The clock is ticking...but who is doing all the thinking?

Remembering the Christmas of yesteryears...

Christmas is just two days away and I thought I pen my thoughts on the good days of the 1960s. As a child Christmas was a time to enjoy some goodies, cakes and cookies but no presents. We were poor and besides we don't observe Christmas as we weren't Christians then. However, I would visit my neighbour's home just 100 metres away and soak in their festivities, and gawked at their lighted up and decorated Christmas tree. It would take the place of pride in the living room, and people would come and go wishing each other Merry Christmas. As I grew up in my teens I got to know Christmas as a time for merrymaking, playing guitar, making a few dollars performing at house parties and enjoying myself as such. My first big party after leaving school was to attend one gathering held at Shell House then in Collyer Quay. There was "live" music and I was there with my schoolmate and also my neighbourhood guys.

Later on in my 20s we would go to parties and nightclubs. Bookings had to be made in advance if you want to get a seat - and we would go in group of 10s or more couples. It was enjoyable and memorable. I recalled on Xmas Day morning as I was climbing up the stairs to get home at 6am and my mum and sister were leaving the house for the morning mass! Gosh...it was really getting caught crawling into bed well after bedtime!

One Xmas eve I remembered as I was trying to take a nap before the big evening of merrymaking. I chanced to turn the newspaper and read about a classmate who had committed suicide. It was shocking and I jumped out of the sofa. Couldn't sleep after reading that report as I tried to analyse why did she take her own life.

Raffles Place was the place to be for carolling. Church groups would perform on top of what was once a covered underground car park - the first in Singapore, flanked on one side by buildings housing the Robinson's department store and the Oriental Emporium.

Subsequent years Xmas became more subdued especially after I started a family. The gatherings were at friends' homes but there was exchanges of gifts, including giving to the children. It's been the same all these years, but I will still always enjoy Christmas more so now as a Catholic. The masses were great and so were the hymns. Merry Christmas!

2011...hopefully a better year

Alas the twelth month of 2010 is drawing to a close. There' so much that happened during the year and I must say several of which were events that I would have hoped they didn't happen. But given life's cycle it is inevitable that we have to accept the depatures of love ones from people to pets. Lest their passing will not be in vain, it remains for those who are still living to remember the lessons they taught us, be it about treasuring friendship and kinship, to unconditional love showered on us by our pets.

What have I done in 2010 that could be called a milestone? I'm not sure. Perhaps it is the sale of a house and the purchase of a house on the hill. Certainly not the trading on the stock exchanges as the market volatility somehow ultimately gobbled up the gains from the winning streaks. Am thankful that it didn't altogether wiped out the capital.

What can one look forward to in 2011? Perhaps with circumspect I would like to make my money word harder for me. Strategically planning for some moves that can point that way. There will be some tough decisions to be made, perhaps to the point of being gutsy but they will not be callous ones. Certainly can do with more blessing from God; will work hard to walk His ways. Planning more time playing my guitar and bring back memories of those days gone by.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Well Santa Claus is beginning to appear in the newspaper advertisements; Christmas trees are taking their places at the various retail malls while decorative bulbs are gradually crawling out of the leafy trees. Its not quite the end of the year, but in a matter of weeks I believe it is likely to begin to look like Christmas. Understandably the retailers can't wait to get their cash registers ringing...given that the year's economic recovery has been anything but smooth. Bonuses for employees - well there's talk about better payouts this year but it remains to be seen. The stock market is taking a drubbing today; some say this is expected given the rises in the past fortnight. G20 members are still struggling in Seoul to find a common platform acceptable for everyone. There's just too many rhetoric. The will to perform isn't there.

Somehow life goes on. Students are out in large numbers to enjoy their term end holidays - a much deserved one given that they waited a year for the final exams. Holiday-makers are always flowing in and out come whatever time of the year. The drinkers will get their pints and the drunkards will get their high.

I sometimes wonder just how many more Christmas will I get to enjoy? Never know. Guess it's a simple question but to give it a definitive answer is not easy. We as humans think we have the power to do many things but alas not over life. If we breathe, it's because someone up there allows us to do so. Otherwise we are just like the candle that can be snuffed out in one puff. Given the fragility of life, yet one wonders why we don't always treasure the time we have on this good Earth. Instead of ranting and complaining, we should be going out there to enjoy the surroundings and take things in their stride. At the end of the day, we should say: Oh what a beautiful day it has been!