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9月10日 A new beginningTomorrow marks the beginning of a new phase of my life. I am flying to Singapore to be with my fiance. We will be getting married on 18/10/2008. I will also be staying with her in the philippines for around 3 months or so. After completing my thesis I was able to get a job at medicare australia, which was exciting and challenging. It was also my first full-time job. In my one month and one week at medicare australia, I have formed a couple of close bonds with a few people there, and I hope I can keep in contact with those people. While the work was not really in my field, I did enjoy it. I was a service officer taking calls from the public and providers regarding medicre programmes, not the simplist created.
I also have the good news to report, that I have been offered a graduate position starting next year in canberra, in the department of infrastructure and transport. The offer was a great relief off my shoulders. As prior to this I was not sure what we were going to do, when Marichu and I go back to Australia. At least now there is some certainty.
The last couple of weeks has been fairly hectic. I have been preparing for leaving, and trying to put together several documents that we require for Marichu' s visa to Australia, again, the immigration department does not make it easy.
anyway, my flight tomorrow is at 3:30pm I am really looking forward to it, even though I am flying on 11/ 9 : )
7月11日 Its doneFinally, a long journey is coming to a close. I think it was in April/May of 2006, I discovered through a friend that there was a small postgrad conference happening in Singapore in July of that year. At the time I was writing my thesis on Australian family payments. The conference captured my imagination and I started to write a paper on the subject of Singaporean and Australian fertility incentives. I think it really was only an abstract at that time. It ended up that I never got selected for that conference, but nor did anyone else from melb uni. Perhaps it was fate, that around the same time I found the Endeavour Cheung Kong Award had extended its deadline by a month, which allowed me to draft and submit an application with the assistance of some kind friends. In late December I discovered that I had won an Endeavour award, which allowed a 6 month research stay in Singapore. I changed my thesis from Australian family payments, to focus on Singaporean family payments. I had no idea that this decision would take a year and half to come full circle from beginning to end. My trip and adventure to Singapore have been outlined below. I arrived back in Australia on the 18th of Jan, expecting to submit my thesis sometime in March. How wrong I was. My thesis was no where near ready in March.
However, today the 11th of July my thesis is ready to submit. I completed the main writing and editing at 4 am in the morning. And my reaction came so unconsciously that my mind spoke the words without me realising. My mind said out loud,
"This should have been done a lot earlier"
It is true, my theis should have been completed earlier. But sometimes life takes strange turns, there is no need to be angry or sad, one must accept ones situation and continually try to improve and learn, and most importantly to enjoy.
I have really enjoyed my thesis experience, I have had highs and lows. I have been in hospital in Singpaore, I have travelled to amazing places, and talked to many interesting and intelligent people. I do not regret.
I am happy today to my core. I realise that probably I could have done better, but I have climbed my mountain and it feels good. As I look ahead, I see more mountains, even higher than this one, but I know that I have persistence to keep going and enjoy the journey as I go. 2月3日 Some old stuff some new stuffI went and picked up a few boxes that were stored at a friend of a friends' place the other day. They live on the edge of the city, and subsequently it cost me $80 taxifare to bring my stuff into the city. Its good to have the comforts of life, like tv and cd collection, but I realise how much of a baggage these things can be when you move around. So in an attempt to clean up, I am putting my cd collection in my hardrive. Interestingly I came across some pics from a while aback now. Its weird how glimpses of the past highlight your current state of being. When I look back, I see a very carefree guy, yet I have never really felt that in my life. If anything has been a constant, it is the worry of responsiblity caused by my concern of destiny. The present is no different, my destiny is of great concern, but perhaps in 5 years, will I look back again and see a carefree man? 1月24日 No great fanfareI left Singapore without any great fanfare, as can be attested to by this blog. I kind of wanted it that way. In many ways I needed Singapore to push my own personal boundaries as far as they could go. Sometimes I liked what I found, othertimes I was bitterly dissappointed. I have left Singapore with a burning question that I still cannot answer. "What type of life do I want?" I am torn between the ordinary and the interesting. Meaning, do I continue to chase my dreams, or should settle for a secure stable life. I guess this question has haunted my whole life. But the last 10 months cleared away everything, and left me with quandary...
I slinked out of Changi airport. My flight was from the new terminal 3 or T3, which to say is spectacular is a 'masterpiece of understatement' (thanks Murray). I arrived back in Brisbane on the morning of the 18th. Was fairly hot in Brisbane (maybe 30 degree), but the heat didnt seem as bad for some reason. I caught the skytrain into the city, and left my luggage at Roma street. I went for a walk down the central mall in search of a new mobile. Alas the prices had changed, and I couldnt find anything decent that was not on a 24 month contract. My impression of Brisbane was different this time, as compared to other occasions I had gone back. On previous occassions I had felt that Brisbane was making progress and developing. However, this time I was struck by how degraded the ambient culture of Brisbane was. Or in other words, how Brisbane still feels like a large town. With another 5 hours up my sleeve (was catching the tilt train back to bundy at 5pm), I headed over to the state library. If you ever have time to kill in Brissy is a not to bad, there is a good cafe there, plus wireless with city views. As I walked backed to Roma street station the afternoon sun was burning down, and it did feel hotter. Yet, I was okay, I have my Singapore climate controlled body well adjusted now.
Boarding the Tilt train to bundaberg, there were your usual suspects of passengers, retired, unemployed and students visiting their central coast parents. This train surely is Australiana stereotype culture at is best/worst. Arriving back in Bundy was a shock:
1. Nothing has changed
2. If anything the lout culture is getting worse
3. shops now close at 4:30pm
Thankfully I only had to stay in bundy overnight... was good to see my mother and grandmother, even though it is difficult sometimes to be in the same room. I caught up with an old friend who had been living in Melbourne when I first arrived. But he has been near Maryborough the last few years and is a town planner in the town. He had also co bought a nursery in Bundy. And by chance he was there on Saturday, so we went and had drinks and dinner in Bagarra, a small beach town 15 min out of bundy. My friend is rolling in money more than i could every dream. He is a very frugal person, still has the same ford laser that he did 10 years ago I think. It was good to talk to him, as he is an old highschool friend. He has a strange personality, in many ways he is isolated from the world, and does not make friends readily. But I know that he is a very honest person, and I value that. He like me, had the same impression that Bundaberg was going down the hill, although he thought that maybe it had been doing it for years, and that we had never noticed it... maybe...
The bus journey from bundy back to brissy, was arduous, 6 hours, arriving brisbane at 6am. Thankfully I was able to wake a mate up in the morning, and he picked me up from a train station not far out from the city centre. He is also a highschool friend and became an accountant for a brewed drinks company, he was then moved down to brisbane and basicaly wanted to stay there. He is not that happy in his current job. But I think his life is progressing very well.
I returned to Melbourne a day after, having crashed at my friends house for the night. My virgin flight arrived in roughly on time, at 9:30pm, and it was a brisk 16 degrees. oh melbourne how i missed thee. I decided to use the remainder of my scholarship on getting into a unilodge room, located just accross from the uni on swanston.
Good:
Just need money to get in,
location
private space good for study
nice view
Bad,
small room
overpriced
So at least the good outweighs the bad. More importantly, it gives me a chance to simply do what I should have done last year, which is to complete my thesis. This year I have two simple goals, complete my thesis in the given time, and find a half decent job. sounds easy doesnt it..... well lets hope it is, but expect that it will be a hard slog... I guess thats why you have to work for good things.... 12月1日 On Matt PriceThe Australian put together the following clips from several Matt Price articles. All three are interesting and astute. However, I especially like the very last paragraph of the last clip. I would like to lead my life in such a manner, but alas I fear I fall miles short.
Matt Price died last weekend, aged 46, after a brief battle with cancer. His column informed and entertained The Australian's readers for more than six years. Here are some edited column extracts. JOHN Howard is ordinary. Deeply ordinary. The PM's ordinariness was on display this week when he invited 150 media types to the annual press gallery Christmas function at the Lodge. Howard made it his business to individually welcome everyone on arrival. (Janette Howard declined to play hostess to the gallery; the PM's wife has standards.) Since the throng arrived in dribs and drabs, Howard often found himself standing alone at the entrance to the outdoor marquee looking, frankly, like a spare dick at a wedding. It didn't bother Howard a bit, as he greeted office secretaries and household names with equal enthusiasm. The PM is long past blatant brownnosing to members of the press, many of whom have written him off numerous times over the past 25 years. Howard made a short but gracious speech, mischievously skirting around his 64th birthday conundrum and paying what sounded like a sincere tribute to the media's coverage of the Bali bombing. Howard, whose determination never to become complacent is possibly his greatest political asset, still gives the impression he's slightly astounded it has all come to this. The 1970s nerd and Mr 18 Per Cent popularity has survived and thrived to be hailed as a political genius. Even the PM sees the funny side. Observing Captain Ordinary reminded me of a story a friend has been dining off for a couple of years. She, let's call her Alice, lives in Canberra and wouldn't vote Liberal under threat of death. With a bunch of colleagues, Alice was attending a leadership and ethics conference near the PM's residence at Kirribilli. While taking a walk early one morning she stumbled upon the power-walking PM and his entourage. They nodded at each other and Alice returned to her colleagues to relate the tale of bumping into Howard. A genial mix of cockeyed optimist and mild eccentric, Alice determined to front the PM the following morning to invite him to the conference. Reckoning correctly the PM was a creature of habit, Alice returned to where she'd encountered Howard the previous day. Sure enough, the PM rattled past and on being accosted by the strange woman he recognised from the previous morning, he invited Alice to join him for the home stretch. By the time they reached Kirribilli she'd explained about her conference, taken a deep breath and invited Howard to address them. "I'll be there in 20 minutes," the PM said, much to Alice's astonishment. Howard, of course, is also cagey, lucky, determined, stubborn, sneaky, driven, awkward, inflexible and incredibly thick-skinned. Just for starters. But the PM's extraordinary and entirely unconfected ordinariness - and determination to remain that way - has become his most potent political weapon. It's also to Howard's advantage that other unremittingly ordinary politicians delude themselves that they can emulate the PM's success. (December 14, 2002) SO that's it then. The wind-up of the 41st parliament of Australia, probably the end of the Howard government. No niceties, no faux goodwill. The Prime Minister's final address to the House of Representatives, which wound up at 4.11pm on Thursday, accused Kevin Rudd of being weak, gutless, thin-skinned, brittle and hypocritical. The Labor leader's departing words pegged Peter Costello as "Captain Arrogance" and asserted, without a skerrick of proof, the Liberals had been hawking round Rudd's medical records to raise doubts about his health and durability. The parliamentary denouement centred almost entirely on the notion of Rudd as victim, a wonderfully apposite metaphor for the rise and rise of Kevinism. Much of Rudd's success has been generated by avidly encouraging Australians to feel sorry for ourselves. Oh me, the price of petrol has increased. Oh my, the cost of eggs is on the rise. Alack, alack, our hospital system is run down. Mayday, mayday, there's far too much gambling. Rudd feels our financial pain, even though - like Howard - he has supped off the public teat for a couple of decades and, unlike Howard, his wife is a multimillionaire. In Kevin World, replete with problems but thin on solutions, everybody is hard done by. Since winning the leadership last December, Rudd has been repeatedly alluding to the election campaign as a marathon. He's about to hit the brick wall where human pain thresholds are severely stretched. Swinging voters are looking for excuses to switch to Labor and so far Rudd has ticked all the appropriate boxes. He is cunning, intelligent, diligent, conservative, young, cautious and TV-friendly. Right now many Australians are barracking for Rudd to do well. They're forgiving the Labor leader his occasional stumble, hoping he'll break through the pain barrier to be in front as the marathon reaches its climax. The Coalition may be old and tired, but the PM and senior Liberals haven't given up on hitting the tape in front. Kevin's glass jaw and 50-year-old ticker are about to receive a thorough working over. If, as expected, Rudd emerges as prime minister, he'll have earned it. (September 22, 2007) DURING Easter, tens of thousands of people - young, old and in between - will flock to the five-day East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival at Byron Bay in northern NSW. Last weekend I attended its curtailed cousin, the West Coast Blues and Roots festival in Fremantle. Some of the featured artists, such as Bo Diddley, predate 1967; most were born long afterwards. That people on either side of this large, remote island can access so many wonderful and different forms of music - and these are just two of many festivals - in such a short period strikes me as a minor modern miracle. The internet allows teenagers to instantly scan every video, study every lyric, discover every obscure detail about their favourite artists. Consequently, the definition of teenager has become absurdly elasticised. One of the most astute political observers in the country - let's call him Dennis - owns a hectic chunk of MySpace in which he alleges to have 164 mainly famous friends including the Pixies, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, the Dixie Chicks, Van Morrison and Tom Waits. That delusional Dennis is pushing 53 is both faintly pathetic and magnificently heroic. Nostalgia aside, music has never been better, more interesting and more accessible. While determined to remain iPod-free, I suspect a combination of cheap CDs and lovely Pandora will see me through to 2067. Meanwhile, spare a thought or prayer for Liberal senator Jeannie Ferris, who died this week after succumbing to ovarian cancer. I saw Jeannie when parliament last sat; she looked unfeasibly terrific and blithely batted off queries about her illness. "Yeah, it's tough, but I'll be right," she said, knowing, I'll bet, she was anything but. I copped that familiar Jeannie beam as she disappeared down the corridor; a perfect way to remember such a lovely woman. James Taylor has suggested "the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time". Brave, candid, mischievous and eternally cheerful Jeannie Ferris unequivocally enjoyed life. (April 7, 2007) The Australian http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22850120-7583,00.html 11月26日 A new era?Kevin has won "hooray!" the cheers go. I think there are a lot of Australians who feel we are at the begining of a new era in Australian politics. I, like them, have a great deal of expectation, but I am fully aware that only once in the last 100 years has there been a significant era of birth (namely the election of Whitlam, and the subsequent reforms he put in place. I am not sure if Rudd can do the same, but I am hopefull. The problem, of course, is that Australia does not really need change, because there is no economic or political turmoil forcing our hand. If we desire change for Australia, it must be through our, or our political leaders own force of will.
Two things stand out from the election. The first theory, of its a time for change does appear to hold, given that the swing to the Labor party was country wide. However, the parochialism of Queenslanders also stood out. I would like to temper this second theory, because although Queenslanders are parochial, I think it has been exacerbated here, because we have only once had a PM who was a Queenslander. Thus, for us to get a chance at another was too great an opportunity to pass up.
I can now tie in the above video to the Australian election. I disagree with large elements of the above video. First, the tone of abuse is immature, and is akin to the many young socialists/liberals of Australia, who simply throw abuse, and vulgar abuse, rather than seeking to engage in productive debate. Having said that, such forms of expression should not be banned. It would be hypocritcal of me to support open and productive debate, yet argue that such forms of expression I don't like, to be banned. I think the video exposes a lot of hypocracy that occurs in Singapore. Meritocracy and elitism here have become blurred to such an extent, that there is no longer any difference. However, this is not the main problem, that I believe the video exposes. Some of the data that is presented, highlights the bottom 20% of Singaporeans are struggling. What makes this problem so frustrating, is that they need not be struggling so much. Singapore is a wealthy enough society and state to provide adequate health care and income maintenance to enable these people to have fair living standard. It is only because of a backward ideology of "self-help" that Singapore does not help these people. What the video does not indicate, is that the PAP has created a prosperous society for around 80% of Singaporeans, it has created first class infrastructure, health care, and education by and large. This achievements should not be glossed over, in terms of, 'well that is history'. Becuase the PAP continues to work towards maintaining that wealth, unfortunately it does not want to spread the wealth, which could easily be done without destroying the economy, although the PAP claims that this would happen. This is the intersection for Australia. Although we have been and are experiencing a boom, what do we really have to show for it. Can we look around and see first class infrastructure, hospitals or schools? The honest answer, is that we don't. This is the expectation that Rudd must confront. Many Australians want to see the benefits of the boom invested, rather than squandered in tax cuts, or one off welfare payments that adhere to a simplistic ideology. 11月24日 A Political DayI was going to write about the video I posted above today.
However, given I am listening and watching live streaming of the australian election. I am rather preoccupied.
So, it looks like labor will win. How unsensational. What will be interesting will be the following years. If Rudd wins, the expectation will be great.... can anyone live up to that.
I am not sure. I do feel relieved that Australia will finally rid itself of a far too conservative and short sighted Prime Minister.
Hopefully the liberals will now move back to the centre. But, I am fearful and would even predict that they will move to the right, given the strength of the NSW right faction...
oh well, we will see... and to be honest its not something that affects me that much...
so
such is life... 11月22日 omg! I'm a Singaporean, I understand all 10You know you been in Singapore too long when you know these 10 things:
10 Things that makes us Singaporean:
1. We use too many acronyms yet keep creating new ones.
2. We think that $100,000 is a reasonable price for a Toyota Corolla, and $1,000,000 is a reasonable price for a bungalow, but $5 for a plate of fired noodles is a barbarous outrage.
3. We think that everything should be 'topped up'.
4. We wear winter clothes indoors and summer clothes outdoors.
5. In a country where people use smart cards for public transport, we have no problem with construction workers riding in the open backs of pickup trucks.
6. We're not ashamed that the government needs to care if we know how to use a toilet or urinal correctly.
7. We're sure that the best way to change social behaviour is through consistent and comprehensive government-sponsored campaigns that permeate as many aspects of life as possible.
8. We think a bus in incomplete without a TV.
9. Every task we take on and every group we form is incomplete without a mission statement and a cheesy slogan.
10. We understand everything on this list.
Written by: Chin Liong Choon, public servant, 23 for the National Day Parade 2003 government-sponsored campaign to raise awareness of what being Singaporean is all about. Welcome to the National Library of SingaporeI have posted some pictures of the National Library. The first few are on the walk from the MRT station to the library. I havn't really been interested in many of the "do not" signs in Singapore, but some are now really beginning to capture my interest. I especially like the first one, "inconvience is regretted", its such a strange thing to say.
The pictures from inside the library are of the Southeast Asian collection. And you are lucky to see them, because photography is not allowed of the actuall library. A library employee politely asked me to refrain from taking pictures of the books : ) I asked if I could take pictures of the scenary outside, to which i got the nod of approval. So naturally I proceeded to take pictures out of sight of the librarians of the books and the library. As can be seen it is really pleasent in here.
I didnt sleep that well last night. For some reason I fell asleep with the light on. Then at 4am, I woke up, to turn the light off, and to take a wizz. Unfortunately I could not get back to sleep. And my mind proceeded to think continously about my thesis and the binaries I am setting up, and their possible utility. I probably should have written some of my thoughts down, but alas I do not keep pen and paper beside my bed.
My flatmate is under a great deal of stress at the moment. He has far to many essays to mark in far too little time. So actually he was up until 6am this morning doing marking. I did not help his cause, by causing a fuse to blow at 8am the other morning, requiring the maintainence office to be called.
However, I am getting a bit sidetracked. enjoy the pictures... 11月20日 Thunderstorm TuesdayThe mid afternoon was punctuated with a sudden and strong thunderstorm. However, I barely noticed it, given I have been inside the library all day. The library is full to the rafters today, making it not so pleasurable for study. It is exam time here, explaining the capacity crowds. I think I will make my way to the national library tomorrow. Although it is not so close to my place, it should be far nicer, and I might get to see some of the antics that Singapore will put on to host alexander downer as part of the east asian summit.
Received positive feedback on the final paper for my coursework subject here. Am very plesed with this, because the lecturer has been very insightful and helpful. He also agreed to give me feedback for a chapter of my thesis.
I have struggled to concentrate today because of the crowded library, might have an early evening (6pm). I hope the bus-stop isnt too crowded... 11月19日 A cool MondayWinter in Singapore is definetly an oxymoron. The last few weeks has, however, seen the temperature here drop to a cool 20 degrees at times. Today, has been very overcast and with a slight breeze the muggy heat of Singapore has dissappeared and been replace by a reasonably pleasant temperature. I went to the ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority) today to collect my pass extension. The ICA is a fairly organised and effecient government body, but you do not want to be in a hurry when going to the ICA. I have taken to going swiming on a regular basis now, and thanks to someone special, I have recieved a good set of goggles.
The ASEAN summit is currently being held in Singapore. The main forum is hosted at the Shangri la hotel, which is located near Orchard road, or in the city centre. There appears to be some offshoot at the uni with the conference building at NUS being very well guarded.
Am missing Melbourne, am nervous about my thesis (am rewriting the first chapter now, while seeking interviews), am worried about what I will do in the future, am puzzeld by who I am, am unsure. This is me. 11月17日 For the recordIts a slow saturday. I am struggling to be inspired to write my thesis today. Thus the procrastination of blogging rears its nasty little head.
I want to turn my blog today from the personal to the political, I don't think this will be regular occurance, but you never know.
Looking back on the Iraq I want to state for the record, that I supported the war. Given the evidence at the time, I thought it was the correct thing to do. I concede that it is very likely that the American government did not do it for the right reasons. Regardless, the toppling of a brutal dictator, I thought was a good thing. However, this debate is largely been and gone, still important, but history nevertheless.
Looking at the violence today in Iraq, it is obvious that all is not well. I want to say on this matter that the American (coalition) is not entirely to blame for the current shambles that Iraq currently finds itself in. If we are to be honest about responsibility, I think we must look at the people who pull the trigger, push the button, or give the order. The hyperbole from the anti-American voices is seriously vitriol of the worst the kind. In one swoop, the criminals who blow up markets and plant road side bombs, seem entirely rationalised in the debate. The terrorists are simply fighting the imperial American forces, so the rationalisation goes. The problem of course here, is that these groups are granted absolutely no agency. It appears their actions are legitimated by the fact that American forces remain in Iraq. Please do not misunderstand me. The coalition forces are responsible for far too many deaths in Iraq. However, we cannot sweep the actions and agency of others away, because we have rationalised and thus legitimised them. I find it very bizarre that nobody in the "western" world will come out and protest for the cesation of terrorist activities in Iraq. Yet thousands will come and march for the withdrawal of the "imperial" American forces.
I just think a little bit of balance would be nice here. Hatred is becoming an all too familiar scene in the world today to abdicate the responsiblity of individual agency in the things we all participate in. my end is beginningI have finished the requirements for my coursework subject over here. So now I can simply write my thesis... haha sounds so easy. In some ways it really is. Sometimes, when you look at a task in its entirety, one is overwhelmed. But when broken into its constitutive parts, its actually not that bad. And sometimes all you have to do is "write"....
I had a nice experience the other day here. As I was walking through my hawker centre, I remembered back 6 months ago, when I was doing the same thing. I wrote a post about it back then. I noticed that today I no longer feel anxiety, or the burning stares of singaporeans at me. I wouldnt say I felt at home, but i felt comfortable and relaxed. 11月14日 A quiet word in the eveningIts 9:45pm here in Singapore. I am sitting at home, partly writing my paper (due tomorrow) and partly watching tv. Actually I have my back turned to the tv, so really I am only listening to it. Morals are strange things. I used to think of myself as a good person, but not a moral person. Not really sure why. But I always felt that morality was relative, thus excluding me from being moral. To be moral, I think one must have a set of beliefs that you adhere to, and that you would like or like to think that others also adhere to. I never thought like this. I thought that everybody internalises their own sense of good, and with some difficulty live by that sense, disregard that sense, or simply reformulate when context changes. Therefore, for me, that is not really morality, but rather simply a sense of good.
I must admit that my internalised sense of good, has been radically reshaped in the past 5 years. I have done things, that when I was younger I thought unforgivable. Yet here I am. I feel my internal sense of good has been challenged by my thoughts, that I only live once. I dont want to regret things that I have not done, but nor do I want to regret things that I have done. This tension of goodness and regret has been particularly acute of late. Its strange when you are faced with a decision that exposes that tension bare. I faced that tension today, and for one reason or another I chose my sense of goodness. I am not sure I am happy, or feel relieved about this. But I do know the decision was the right one, and I don't feel regret. 11月12日 to angelikaThanks Geli for putting me on to Zwei raumwohnung.
I have just submitted an application to extend my student pass here in singapore until the 10th of january. It has taken my rather a lot of emails to put together the application. As I walked to the registrars building this morning, Singapore experienced a rather sudden thunderstorm. The thunder here can be very loud, and has a unique almost tin like sound. The rain was absolutely bucketing down. Of course, well organised NUS has undercover walk ways everywhere, so I didnt even have to take my umbrella to walk half way accross the campus.
I slept fairly well last night. But this morning I find myself with a nagging headache. I have tried to soothe the pain with orange juice and a coffee. However, it still hasnt had the desired effect. I am also suffering from a slight nose block brought on by air con that was probably 3 degrees too cold one night.
I think I am getting on top of some of my work here, so probably in December I will try to take some weekends off and visit a few places close by, notably Malaysia,.. I still havnt been there yet.
I visited the National library the other day, with stacy. I havn't really needed to go to the national library because the NUS library has a larger collection. But I have to say I was very impressed with the new national library here. The Southeast asian collection is located up on the 11 floor and subsequently has a fantastic view over the cbd of Singapore. So I might try to spend a week or so doing some writing there. The only problem with this, is that the national library is located in the centre of the island, and it take me about 45 min to actually get there from where I live. But I think it might be worth the effort.
11月7日 Turning northThe last week I have kept my head down, explaining the lack of posts. I have added to my weekly routine at least two visits to either the university swimming pool or the clementi swimming pool, which is only a 5 min bus ride from my place. So again, and doing the small things right, but I feel I am paying the price for so much lost time at the beginning of my award.
Besides this, I have posted a video clip of Frida Hyvonen, who is of course from sweden, I really love the melody to this song, and there are some whisteful lyrics that reach deep inside, when thought about.
I will probably post a few swedish artists over the coming weeks, given that we are now heading into the "swedish winter". If anyone would like to join me on an excursion to the "Swedish Winter", please inform me, I am happy to post new songs from sweden.
Oh and one thing I noticed about the youtube clip, when it finishes, it will show related clips, so feel free to explore, I would especially recommend 'the modern', from Frida. 11月6日 Changing my expressionI think I have struggled with this blog, I don't like to write about day-to-day things, but I have. It is kind of useful and interesting to look back on old blogs and see a progression or a lapse in development or dare I say maturity. With some hesitation I am going to add a video section to the blog, not least to make the blog more interesting. The main purpose is to change the video around every so often, which will feature music, and a small written blog will go along with each song. For instance, I heard the editors on jjj probably a month ago, one morning and it really up lifted my day. I wrote a blog about how the song reminded me of another song I thought I herd years back.
Anyway, this is my first attempt to change my expression.... 11月4日 slow sunday10月30日 Something has changedIts that time of the month for me to reflect again on my time in Singapore. During my time here, I have struggled, been lazy, been sick, been bored, had fun and actually learned. I learned stuff about myself and others around me. But actually the greatest thing I have learned here, is how to conduct research and basically write that up. I know I have writen on this before, but I think I need to remind myself of this point from time to time. still not sure I like or want to live in Singapore.... |
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