A Rickshaw Old Man & The Grand Old Lady

itunes: Rufus Wainwright, Want Two (2004)



When I was kid, whenever I followed my mum to the wet market in the morning, there were usually many rickshaws gathered at the entrance, patiently waiting for tired passengers. Many years have past and most of them have vanished in the midst of urbanisation. Nowadays, some merely exist for tourists whom will engage them for a sightseeing ride around the downtown neighbourhood.

The century old Raffles Hotel has been refurbished into a Grand Old Lady, in contrast, the historic rickshaw has not changed much. It's always the same sight: an aged old man, seen paddling hard on the rickshaw on the road, be it now or 20 years ago.

I took this picture on my way to work this morning. I see this old man with a rickshaw every morning and evening, waiting patiently outside Raffles Hotel, calling out to tourists for a ride. Life has not changed much for them, it's just that the passengers are not locals anymore.

Raffles Hotel may not have left much nostalgia in many Singaporeans as much as the rickshaws. Nevertheless she has been given a new lease of life, whilst the good old rickshaws are fighting for their survival, a piece of belonging in these modern days.

秋天来了

itunes: Barbra Streisand, The Movie Album (2003)

两个星期的回营训练总算在昨天结束。

军营的生活是团体的，所以热闹非凡。
虽然每天都被声音塞得满满的，
可是心却是安静的，有时是寂寞的，好像放空似的。

我回到了中断的平民生活，回到了城市，仿佛一切从新开始。
街上的车声人声来往拥挤，
心也随着热闹起来，
生活上担心的、害怕的、压力的、厌烦的、捆绑的，也陆续回来了。
当然也参杂了许多开心的、憧憬的、计划的、期待的。
有一点点莫名的开心与忧伤。

安慰的是，这已是2006的最后一季，我最喜欢的一季。
今天在商场里看到了大部分的服饰店都换上了秋冬的时尚。
虽然这里没有秋高气爽的温度，但看到了橱窗里展现秋冬的色调，
心中也难免涌现一股秋天落叶般的伤感和冬天假日的喜悦。

想规划一下岁末旅行。
想如何度过圣诞节。
想想明年要完成的事。
想放慢脚步，想开始收拾今年的心情。
好想好想好多好多的事。

还是王菲浮躁里的那一句歌词：

"九月里平淡无聊
一切都好只缺烦恼。"

生活中有你陪伴，一切都好无缺烦恼。

曹禺的雷雨

itunes: Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily (1995)





算是一种巧合吧？昨晚刚把我从上海带回来的“曹禺作品精选”里的“雷雨”看完，还来不及整理看后的思绪，今天的早报却报道完整版的“雷雨”话剧将在这月底公演。我兴奋地立刻上网订票，真的十分期待！

《雷雨》是一部纠缠着复杂的血缘关系和聚集着许多的巧合但却透露着必然的悲剧。完成于1934 年，它蕴含着深刻的思想内涵和令人惊心动魄的艺术震撼力，一直到了70 年后却能深深影响读者，不愧是文学经典！

我很喜欢曹禺对于“雷雨”所说过的一句话：“写“雷雨”是一种情感的迫切的需要。我念起人类是怎样可怜的动物，带着踌躇满志的心情，仿佛自己来主宰自己的命运，而时常不能自己来主宰着。”

我十分认同这句话。
不是吗？有时七情六欲象一口残酷的井，人陷入其中就如同陷入沼泽，挣扎的结果只会越陷越深，直至毁灭。我一直认为我操控我自己的情欲和命运，可是有时却发现会不知不觉被它们牵着走，完全身不由己，犹如一场自己与情欲、命运的一场拔河游戏。

我常对他人说，这世界没有所谓的身不由己，只是选择上的问题。事实上，做与不做，要与不要，都是选择的问题，不是什么身不由己。可笑的是，当我在面对情、欲、命运的当儿，发现真正主宰自己的不是思想，而是与生俱来，冥冥不可知的本能意识，如此的强烈，又如此的紧迫。

我选择了压抑。
犹如雷雨前天气般的郁热：沉闷和令人窒息的气氛使得人的正常情欲处在一种极度的压抑之中，是渴望和压抑的内心战争。

我的生命是如此地紧绷，
我不要往无底洞下坠，
直至雷雨来临，直至毁灭。。。

Lee Kuan Yew Fan Club (Hail to I-S Magazine)

itunes: Brian Mcknight, Anytime (1997)

Read this! Fresh from the this week's I-S Magazine.
I just cant help laughing after reading this! Well written, I would say! But wait, will this magazine get banned from now on? Or will the writer of this article be dropped by I-S just like what Today newspaper did to Mr Brown? I cant wait to see what to happen next. Haha I hail to I-S Magazine.

I dunno what to say but I think this is pure stupidity. Simply by having Crazy Horse here does not make Singapore "Paris of the East" and given the fact that Crazy Horse is losing money and did not create the rave it suppose to have, shows very well this is not Singaporean's cup of tea. What is the point of creating a new censor classification just for Crazy Horse? Does this make a difference? No! This is shallow.

I just dun understand why do we have to be "Switzerland of Asia" (heavily mentioned in 80s and 90s) and now "Paris of the East"? Why cant we have our own distinct attraction to visitors? It will never be as long as every damn thing here is tightly controlled and regulated. Look at Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong and even Tokyo, they are Asian cities and they have so much vibe and cultural attractive because the government there does not control the livelihood of the people as much as here. So, when PAP wants to have casino here, where are the so-called Asian moral values that you have preached in this 1 to 2 decades gone to?

Here in Singapore, our dear PAP controls every aspects of our lives; governing what we can and cannot see, what we can speak and cannot speak, what we can do and cannot do. Even if we bring the Eiffel Tower and Musee Du Louvre here, we still lack that 'X' factor. I just cant believe that our government failed to see this point at all?

Indeed, perhaps after we become the "Las Vegas of the East", we may soon be "Amsterdam of the East". If gambling is a big business, then sex will be the biggest!! Remember sex sells, apart from Geylang having hugh windows displaying girls (as suggested by the writer), I'm eager to see peep live shows, porn shops and of cos a 24 hours porn tv channel. if we need gambling to generate a good GDP, then sex industry will be the biggest GDP contributer.

Look at our dear PM jokes about Mee Siam Mai Hum (No Cockles in My Mee Siam). This is definitely a national shame and embarrassment. We, Singaporeans, from age of 3 to 80, knows the fact that Mee Siam has no cockles at all. So what kind of lousy joke is it? The most funny thing is during his speech, how can possibly the audiences laugh at such a dry wit? That's really needs some pondering. Does it mean that we are so controlled and uptight that we lost the creativity to create and means to appreciate a simple good joke? If our dear leaders lacks natural creativity, that's should explain how creative our kids going to be under the so-called "creative teaching". If our top guy does not even have the basic knowledge of the people's livelihood, how will he knows well of the good and bad of heartlanders on this land?

So with all the 'created' hype and vibe but no freedom in everything (which includes media and speech), Singapore remains just a stale as a week's old bread. Just looks good only on the surface....