-The 12th Avenue-

Let's Talk about Life

All NUS students would have received this advertisement from NUS Centre For the Arts on 20th July. How many would actually read it, that's a different story. Anyways, here's what its all about.

Apparently, there will be a book discussion session on a couple of books on the 29th of July at the University Cultural Centre. The first book is "Tuesday with Morrie" by Mitch Albom, a book familiar to many people such as myself who's constantly pondering about life. This book changed my perception and my life in a very big way indeed.

I'd want to attend the book discussion session on Tuesday with Morrie, is anyone interested to come along with me? We'd probably be discussing and talking about the very essence of life itself, all its values and meanings. The way we should treat people, the meaning of "love" etc. All these might sound pretty boring to the un-initiated (those who haven't read the book), but for those who did, you'd know what Im talking about.

So if you're interested, and you don't mind hearing me preach in person, do give me a ring. Hope to see ya all.

Bless All.

posted by JaNuS @ Friday, July 21, 2006

Mission

For some reason ... my thoughts flow easily only at midnights. My mind becomes full with things I wanna say. It's 4am now, and it's that time. Tonight, I feel like sharing a significant puzzle piece from my life.

I feel like talking about something, which some of you might classify as "silly" or "meaningless" or "propaganda-to-impress-people-and make-Janus-look-like-an-angel" kinda stuff.

Wadever. Think what you like.

My team-mates from the BHBH2 Philippines trip, you've already heard this story during one of our sharing sessions. If it doesn't bore you too much, just take it in one more time yeah?

*********
I was around 6 years old then. My mom's away, and my dad's at work as usual. On that fateful day, my maid decided to shop for some groceries at the line of shophouses across the road from my estate. She took me along, holding my hand as we walked slowly down the familiar stony path across the field.

The road's just ahead, but something looked different that day. There was a crowd of people, standing in a circle on the road close to the kerb. All of them were just staring down at the centre of the circle, noone's doing anything. Some wore expressions of disgust, others just stared blankly as if hypnotized.

As we veered closer, I realised there was a man lying on the road, in the centre of the crowd of people. He was laying in a pool of blood, literally. I haven't seen anything redder than that bloody scene. His clothes tattered, and (if i did not recall wrongly) long nasty wounds running down his hand and his leg. A road accident, it's easy to conclude. The victim's still bleeding, and he lay on the ground with one of his hands outstrected, calling out for help in Hokkien towards the people that surrounded him. His gaze shifted constantly from person to person, repeating the same words for someone to help him.

No one did.

Everyone just stood around staring blanky at him, as if he was some zoo animal or circus freakshow. There were murmurs among the crowd of people, some were pointing at him, all the while staring down at him as if his accident has degraded him to something less than a human. I didn't thought much of the incident then ... I thought of helping him, but I didn't know how. I was 6 years old, half the time my mind was a complete blank, and my maid was constantly tugging hard at me trying to pull me away.

So, the accident scene got further and further away from us as we walked away.

As I grew up, the emotions I should have felt then set in.
I felt ashamed of those people who treated the whole thing like a stage show.
I felt rage that these people falls into the same categories to what I am, a human and a Singaporean.
I felt sad for the victim.
and most of all, i felt guilt for not being able to do anything.

The accident images, and these feelings haunted me since.

Coincidentally, I was posted into the medical corps during my NSF days. My collegues were happy since medics lead quite a slack life. I was glad for a different reason, that finally I'm being equipped with the skills I need to save lives, and to, in a way, redeem myself. In the School of Military Medicine, i learnt how to dress wounds, CPR, emergency pre-hospital care, injections etc. Truely, with every step I found meaning in my life ... that's the first time I tasted fulfilment apart from the usual academic A-s on the report card. Sounds crazy it may, but at a point in time during my service I actually felt like signing-on forever, to ride on ambulances for a career reaching out to people who calls. Even some guys on the medical corp thought I was crazy when I became too passionate preaching about the glory of the medical mission to the trainees. To me, it's against all morals, that the calls of the wounded are ignored.

I often wished that I can go back to that childhood accident scene and offer a hand to the striken victim. Even if I cant do anything to heal his wounds, my touch will definately comfort his traumatised soul to some extent. I can do at least that, all of us can ... it just depends on whether we are willing to or not. If you can do so much for others by doing as little as offering a hand, why not do it?

Im proud to be a first-aider, I'm darn proud of it. It's what I'd gladly and passionately label as my mission in life, to forever do what I can to the dying and the injured, and to stand between Death and my patients, especially those whom are my friends.

Some of you may think I'm nuts, to constantly volunteer as the Safety Medic whenever we organise events. After all to most, NSF days are not meant to be glorified for too long. My teamates from BHBH2, some of you may also think Im a cockster to carry around a first-aid pouch on my waist wherever we go, even when shopping in the Malls, especially when we already have more professional safety personnels with more complete equipment watching over us.

Now you all know my story, and now you all know why.
Have you got your own mission? Do tell me about it.

Life is sacred. Cherish not only yours, but others' as well.
Bless All.

posted by JaNuS @ Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Distorting the Truth?

posted by JaNuS @ Monday, July 17, 2006

Food Talks

To all my dear friends whom have tried to ask me out for a meal recently, or are still eagerly waiting for me to recover so that we can have that pig-out session at that fancy restaurant.


Here's the bad news.


You've got a long time to wait, so I guess it's best that you guys carry on without me for a while. Much as I'd love to join y'all, the surgery really took a toll out of the nerve cells around and inside my mouth. I've come to realize that it's not just the tongue alone that gives food its taste, but the gums, the jaw ceiling, and all the other fleshy parts of the mouth do play an important role as well. Kinda sensible ain't it? Since it's a habit for all of us to tumble our mashed-up food around in our mouth before swallowing it, for chewing, slicing, etc. Chances are, your semi-digested food won't always stay on your tongue. It's the nerve sensations on these other parts of the mouth that makes us absorb our food's taste and texture. Without these sensations, we literally won't even know if there's a meatball stuck in the corner of your mouth. Also, you might not even have the motivation to chew, since you're not sure if there's actually food lingering between your teeth.

Yes, that's what I'm going through right now, out of the horse's mouth. Generally, nerve endings take a rather long time to recover, up to 6 months plus. Even if I can eat and chew, I don't really see the point in that if all my food taste like plain water. So ... do have a good dental plan going for yourself, keep your precious nerve cells healthy, or they might just stand up and leave one day.

**********

Right, that's all for Janus' Biological Specimen lessons. Here's some update on what's been going on for the past 2 days.

My sister is back in Singapore again ... for good! She finally graduated from Melbourne University after 4 years!!

Weeeee!

Finally I can have someone close by to bully whenever i feel bully-ish. We picked her up at Changi airport on Friday, and I guess that's the first time she's seen XiaoHui in person too. Haha, very soon I'll be sharing him with her.
(if that sounds er-xin to you, i suggest a good brain scrub)

So ... at night, i went to Sijia's house with Tongcai, Ben and Elsa for a gathering cum stayover. We had a lovely BBQ session, with me eating only super soft food like crab sticks and tons of heated marshmallow. We had a nice talk to keep ourselves updated with each other's life as well. It's been a while since I went for such a gathering, and I really haven't talked quite as much for a while due to my surgery. Chatting sessions feel good indeed, it lets you pour out all your comments and opinions about life to the people around you. And no, unlike PAP, you won't get hammered for what you say usually.


My family heirloom, the electric-powered BBQ pit. Thanks to my ingenious contribution, Elsa don't have to bring her pit all the way from Jurong, which she has stolen from East Coast Park.

Marshmallow Roast!









Glorious Food! Sad that I can't enjoy much of what we have prepared, except the sticky marshmallows. The taste kinda grows on you.



















After we ate and talked, we went inside the house to play some silly party games which I've brought. I've also rented some nice movies from Video Ezy for everyone to watch. I think I'm the unappointed entertainment IC. Haha

Sijia's father's wonderful salt water fish tank. Very nicely lit and decorated. Got many of Finding Nemo's crew swimming around inside. You can see the clownfish and the dory fish. Also got many weird looking sea anemones which i resisted grabbing.

Clown Fish bathing among the sea anemomes. The sea anemome look like Abalone Mushroom.

So we played, ate, talked and slept until morning. =)

Memorable and fun outing. Hee

posted by JaNuS @ Saturday, July 15, 2006

Thursday

I woke up at 3pm today. Gloriously late. When I realized the time, my first instinct was to send some SMSes to my working friends to suan them, since they are probably up by 7am. While they are dragging their heavy asses out of bed and staggering to their offices with their eyes closed, I'm nicely tucked under my layers and layers of warm blanket hiding away from the disgusting morning sun.

Nyahahahaha!!!

Anyways, it's Thursday.

That means ... it's GYM DAY!!

I usually head to the gym at around 5pm. When i reached the place, I noticed that it is unusually crowded by people dressed in grey shirts and camo pants, sitting around doing nothing. Then i remembered there's NDP rehearsal (My gym is the one at Kallang National Stadium). I parked Xiaohui, grabbed my gear and headed for the gym. From the other direction came a lao-chiao looking Army Captain wearing number 4 uniform, then we walked almost side by side towards the stadium entrance. When we neared the place a lot of people suddenlly stood up and saluted us shouting "SIR!". Ok lah, it's actually saluting him, but I'm now wearing singlet and shorts ... Im civilian, I'm big fuck. I resisted from asking them to knock it down.

So I did my work out among a bunch of oversized beefed up people, spent around an hour in the gym. After that, I headed home. It's around 7.30pm, and there's traffic jam everywhere on the road, especially at Aljunied Road near the Geylang strip. I got stuck there in fact for a while, with the car in front moving at a snail's pace. To my left is Geylang, and at the far sidewalk I can see a few scantily dressed ladies standing around, probably looking for business. They look rather prostitute-ish. Actually they're quite chio from what I see, rather sexy also. Some of our Miss Singapore Universe finalist are quite a far cry from them in fact.

I missed this year's Miss Singapore Universe coz i was overseas. When i checked out the finalists and winner from the internet, I was a bit stunned actually. Most of them ain't ugly, mind you, but definately not what I will call gorgeous or chiobus. When the website used sentences such as "... the nation's top drop-dead gorgeous beauties ...", i don't really know what to say. If that's a fact, I think i really will cry. And I'll probably migrate after I cry.

anyways if your interested, here's the webbie: http://www.msu2006.com.sg/

So i got home, and I was greeted by these 2 man's best friends.

Then they ran inside to drink water after they greeted me.

I couldn't resist taking more shots of them, so here are some nice pictures. =)

Gizmo or Gizzy!

Markie!

That's it, good day to you.

posted by JaNuS @ Thursday, July 13, 2006

Singapore and the Gahmen

National Day is approaching.

I was brought up in an environment where students are taught to be loyal to their nation, and to have love for their country. As a kid, i see no reason to debate that requirement for patriotism. However, with time, I've learnt to observe and analyse things with my own eyes and brains, instead of blindly lapping it up from the books and the media. The more i see, the more i become ashamed of my nation due to the people whom we call our leaders.

It really stinks.

There have been countless examples of their close-mindedness to the people, as more often than not this country have been shrouded in a cloud of lies and deceit. I'm so darn sick of all these. The latest issue is probably relatively well known by Singaporeans who are active online and who read the Today newspaper. Yes I'm talking about Mr.Brown. Unlike me, Mr.Brown has a talent of being able to express beautifully into words facts and opinion which dwells in the minds of many Singaporeans such as myself. His article on Today's free column, "S'poreans are fed, up with progress!", reflects the many shitty parts of the Gahmen's glorious plans for the future. The way the Gahmen's so called "Progress" ironically pushes down people's standard of living, the progress package etc etc.

As usual, the Gahmen can't handle the truth, and rebutted Mr.Brown's article. His free expression column on Today newspaper was suspended. A Gahmen's khaki from MICA called Mr.Brown a "partisan player in politics" who distorts the truth. You can read more of this from www.mrbrown.com

This is complete bullshit. They call this country a democracy, it looks more like a monarchy to me, where the citizen's are not allowed to think freely or even express his opinions on a free-expression column. The **people in white** knows best, and we are to lick up and believe every shit they hurl at us. Indeed they are not in anyway involved in the NKF scandal, and yes all the rising costs of living like ERP etc is actually not the government's fault. We tell them our opinions in politics, they brush us off as if we're nothing more than a pesky fly ... really macam they're the GodFather like that, though none of them is half as handsome as Marlon Brando. The "ask the minister" TV show some time ago clearly illustrates that, where MM Lee said something like "Your young, you just want to see a fight! (against opposition parties)". How shallow can anyone get? Jesus.

** I'm not talking about the Ku Klux Klan. KKK only targets African Americans. This one works on an entire nation's population. **

I live in Potong Pasir. Last election, the Gahmen held a S$80 million (or is it?) carrot here to vote PAP's candidate into Parliament. If Seetoh Yipin was to win the elections in Potong Pasir, Potong Pasir will get a variety of lift upgrades and facility upgrades. However, the people here are smart, and we do not give in to bribery. Eventually PAP lost, and Chiam See Tong was voted in again. Mr.Chiam wrote a request to the government for some funds to finance Potong Pasir's upgrading project, since they have openly declared that they can afford it. Mr.Chiam was flatly rejected, the simple reason being that the S$80 million offer ended with PAP's defeat in Potong Pasir. "One People, One Nation, One Singapore" indeed.

My candy arse.

I still want to feel proud for Singapore though, after convincing myself that the Gahmen do not stand for Singapore. They are separate entities, and whether their lousy or good, Singapore is still our motherland which gives us land to stand on. Hopefully, things will change with time, but it sure will take a while.

I pray my son and grandson won't have to see all the ugly shadows on this fair soil we call home.


P.S: If they come after me coz of this post, tell my family I love them.

posted by JaNuS @ Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Project Can 2006

Glorious Can Food from generous people!

Glorious Dried Food from generous people!

I also realised the fundamental importance and usefulness of this device we call a doorbell. I dunch know why some people don't install doorbells at their door, and then have their doors made out of those kind of damn thick wood. Macam blast proof door. You can hear people talking inside the house, but no doorbell to press, you knock on the bleddy door also cannot hear the sound. There're also some homes which doesn't install a doorbell, but placed a very very meshy spider web grille before their door. So meshy until I cant even slide my hand in to knock the door, the pattern spiders see liao also sian. So i just ignored those units, probably inside is gambling den or something.

And then it rained, the wind so strong we got wet inside the shelter. I was hoping that the sight of us soaking wet and carrying plastic bags of donated can food will gain people's pity and become more generous. But alot of people were still very ngiao, see our face only not happy liao. For lunch everyone had 可爱鸡 chicken rice, while I can only drink my delicious milk.

Went home, sleep, wake up to watch world cup and won $19 from Singapore Pools. Yay.
Zidane finally lost it man, went to headbutt the other guy in the chest.



Sad way to end his career indeed.

posted by JaNuS @ Monday, July 10, 2006

Cravings

1. Hong Kong Braised Soon Hock 香港鱼头
2. Paper Wrapped Beancurd 纸包豆腐
3. Prawn Paste Fried Chicken 虾膏炸鸡
4. Braised Duck with Sea Cucumber 海参鸭
5. Fried Yam Paste with Crisp 欧款
6. Chilli Crab with Bread 辣椒螃蟹
7. Black Pepper Cray Fish 黑胡椒虾婆
8. Buttered Oatmeal Prawns 奶油麦片虾
9. Fried Belachan Fish 巴拉参鲳鱼
10. Fresh Raw Lobster with Vinegar 生龙虾
11. Braised Tofu with Seacucumber 海参豆腐
12. Mushrooms with Kai Lan Vegetable 香菇炒概览菜
13. Drunken Live Prawns in Brandy soaked with Ginger 布兰蒂醉虾
14. Yam Paste Dessert 欧尼
15. Thai Style Chicken Legs 泰式鸡脚

I miss all of you!
Doc please take out my mouth piece tomorrow...
:`(

posted by JaNuS @ Monday, July 03, 2006