What Are You Dreaming Of?

Singapore Dreaming...this must have been the best local film I've ever watched. Not that I know Colin Goh or Woo Yen Yen personally, or that I watch so many local films. However comparing to the J-Team flicks and some more cheem arty films...I was touched by the simple sincerity of the movie. Many times I was moved to tears. Ok, maybe I'm just being sentimental. But this is the first time I ever allow my tears to flow freely down my cheeks in the public cinema. So malu...

Besides the superbly written script of a typical Chinese Singaporean family, many a times you'll find somewhere in the movie, reflections of our daily lives. So real and so close to the heart. Kudos to the superb cast headed by ever so good uncle, Richard Low (刘谦益), Alice Lim (林倩萍), Serene Chen (陈惠玲 ), Dick Su (苏才忠), Lim Yu Beng (林友明) and last but not least a very impressive performance by Yeo Yann Yann (杨雁雁). I really would not miss a chance to watch this strong ensemble doing a class act in the cinema again.

Cleverly crafted lines (predominently in Hokkien, injected with proper English, crisp Chinese and the 'uniquely Singapore' Singlish) and thought provoking plots. What do we all want in our lives? What are we dreaming of? To be happy? To be rich? To lead a simple life with a close family bond? But yet we know that life is never easy in Singapore without the cash in hand. But is money the solution and the almighty in life? Well, we need it to bring bread to the table to feed the family and to lead a decent life? But what is a decent life? To have Cash, Card, Car, Condo and Club? Hence explain why we often wish we can strike it big in the lottery, buying 'hope' and wait to strike it rich instantly in this lifetime.

Are the 5C's really the answer to a good decent life? Perhaps afterall, we all eventually will end up in the 6th C, a Coffin. Hmm...life is so complicated. Well, like a friend who used to tell me, stress in self implemented. Indeed we created our own stress in life. But can Singaporeans really do away with chasing this dream to be in the upper crust? Like what it was said by the 'foreign talent' in the movie: "你們新加坡人就是這個樣, 整天埋怨, 你們的生活很苦嗎?"

But hey...Complaining is a afterall our favourite past-time, a Singaporean Culture... Haha...Singapore is like that one, mah lah ooh bian...

Singapore Dreaming is definitely a must watch for all 4 million smiling Singaporeans!!!

Tag: singapore dreaming

The Object of My Affection

Finally caught the show on Star Movies (all thanks to cable). Touched...very touched by the show. Hmm...maybe I'm just feeling sentimental at the moment. But really liked the show. Have to give credits to Jennifer Anniston.

Some memorable quotes:

Nina (to George): I want you to be with me, I want you to marry me, I want you to love me the way that I love you.

Nina (to George): You have to pick one person in life and make it work.

Rodney (to Nina): One shouldn't be too hard on oneself when the object of one's affection returns the favor with rather less enthusiasm than one might have hoped.

Human relationship are just so complicated but yet can be so uncomplicated if one can see and take things easy and in stride. Lives will be so much easier.

Do I...

Do I have the courage to let go?
Do I have the courage to be free?
Do I have the courage to walk out the door?
Do I have the courage to make the choice?

Do I...

Do I have the right to be happy?

Singapore Culture

"Singapore culture unlikely to emerge - not even in the next few hundred years" : predicted MM

Spending a lunchtime in the Tanjong Pagar or Raffles Place area, generally known as the Central Business District (CBD), one would find a peculiar behaviour of the fellow Singaporean lunch-goers. I believe this is not something new to many and I believe it was discussed in the MSM (i.e. the newspaper and TV). All it takes is to be armed with a packet of tissue paper or an umbrella and you are all set to "chope" a seat in the busy hawker centres or foodcourt. No fear and seat guaranteed, though it raises an eye-brow or two by the new immigrants or foreign talents.

Hmm...truly an unique Singapore culture or is it not? *scratch*

[Footnote]
Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behaviour and systems of belief.

Singapore 2006

Hmm... the biggest event of the year is coming soon in a week's time. So much rumblings heard round the island city in the past months.

4 million smiles welcome the foreign delegates and their entourage to Singapore.

Outdoor street protests are ban but indoor one are allowed. BUT only if you are the represntatives from the 200 odd accredited Civil Soceity Organisation and participants must register with the police and protest only at designated area.

Hmm...read an article in Bloomberg News

"We cannot allow processions, demonstrations in the streets," said Goh, a former prime minister. "It got out of hand in Seattle, it got out of hand in Hong Kong and this is Singapore. We will not allow that. Lives must not be disrupted"

Hmm...lives not disrupted? Yah sure....as any obedient citizen, I have been trying out alternative routes as recommended to go to work from East Coast to Shenton Way as I can't use Nicoll Highway (ERP charges: $2.50 - 1 gantry) and advice not to use North Bridge Road (ERP charges: $2.50-$3.50 - 2 gantries) during 10-20 September. So here are my findings:

Leave home at 8.00 am.

Traffic is slightly heavy on roads like Victoria Street and Hill Street going into Tanjong Pagar but many traffic light junctions...ERP charges: $2.50-$3.50 (if the traffic is heavier, will be charge at both gantries else first gantry (Kallang) is free) - 2 gantries - 40 mins

Traffic is heavy on ECP as usual going into Tanjong Pagar....ERP charges: $5.00 (2 gantries - Fort Road : $2.50, Keppel : $2.50) - 35-40 mins

Hmm...these findings are my experience for the past few days without any traffic accidents and normal traffic condition, no diversion to these alternative routes yet. So I cross my fingers on the effects of the closures and pray hard no accidents during the period of WB and IMF meetings.

Hmm...with the road closures of Nicoll Highway, Temasek Boulevard, Raffles Boulevard and lane closures of Bras Basah Road and restricted entry into to SUNTEC area for the most period of the WB and IMF Meetings, I wonder how are our lives not disrupted?

Cost and time to travel to work is definitely going to go up (like many other things after May 06). So our lives are not disrupted? Hmm...will the ERP charges and our working hours be adjusted and concessions be given if I smile?

Hmm...Singapore Dreaming 2006...

Courage and Choice

[Spolier Alert: Please do not read if you had not watch or intend to watch "The Devil Wears PRADA"]

The Devil wears PRADA may be an commercial flick. But Meryl Streep shines "like the beacon" (pardon me, I really cannot resist) and is the prima donna, the diva who completely stole the show and blow me away in her potrayal of Miranda Priestley, the dragon lady of Runway Magazine. However, the show not only gave an insider look of the bitching, struggling and back-stabbing world of the glittering high fashion industry, I somehow find the show interestingly thought provoking.

Some interesting lines:

Love Thy Work
Nigel: Other girls dream of working here. You merely deign.

Prove Thy Self
Miranda Priestly: The details of your incompetence do not interest me.

Make Thy Choice
Andy Sachs: What if I don't want this?
Miranda Priestly: Oh don't be silly, EVERYONE wants this. Everyone wants to be *us*

Andy chose to walk out of a highly sought after job at the end. She made her choice after realising that she had gain recognition for her work at the expense of her personal life. But how many of us are willing to make this choice? How many of us are willing to walk out of a decent paying job (which pays the bill and buy the bread) to live a perfect balanced (family comes first) life? Do I have the courage to make this choice?