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Bedazzled

12 Feb 2010 – Treasury of the World

Last night’s opening at ACM with Guest-of-Honour HE President SR Nathan featured more than 400 dazzling  jewelled works of art from Mughal empire/India (1526-1858), one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties the world ever known where the rulers were renowned for their lavish lifestyle, love of beauty and collection of precious objects.

Was bedazzled and speechless to see such exquisite jewelled works of art from the al-Sabah Collection/Kuwait in the company of nephew Clement and Kenson. Anyone who enjoys jewelry and other ornaments of emerald, diamond, gold, jade, pearl, ruby, sapphire, silver and turquoise should not miss this. The thought that the tiniest speck of anything in these show-cases could feed a family (somewhere in the world) for the rest of their lives kept going through my mind. My idiot-proof camera is not the same as seeing with your own eyes but some pictures are better than none!

The gratification of wealth is not found in mere possession or in lavish expenditure, but in its wise application – Miguel de Cervantes

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Kisses

10 Feb 2010 – HKG Visitor

JohnWT from HKG arrived in SIN the same day when I arrived from the USA. Have been meeting with brokers who are in contact with Sellers for commodities trading. John represents the Buyers from China. Understanding Singlish business is not my forte, especially in a noisy background and still jet-lagging; was kind of lost in these meetings. As it is, still have to concentrate to understand the daily Singlish conversations fully! Explaining about how SIN works and translating Singlish to a Hongkie was a learning experience. Might be a good idea to have sub-titles, like the movie Kisses- the Irish also speak English but English sub-titles were necessary to follow this movie.

Kisses*** is about two foul-mouthed working-class kids escaping from their dreary council estate to even drearier Dublin city centre. Depressing but this depicts the harsh reality of young kids in modern-day Ireland. Over the years, these social issues were conveniently blocked out of my mind. Some of the Irish, Scots and Brits are not easy to understand when you do not listen to them regularly. This movie brought back some perspectives of the illusions created during my student days in Dublin.

JohnWT wanted to see Orchard Central/乌节中央城, one of the new malls on Orchard Rd (Trendy Architecture/17 Dec 2009) Sat evening after the movie. Since we were in the area, I agreed, even though venturing near or into any shopping malls in the weekends is NOT something I choose to do. Good idea to have wall-climbers instead of wall-decorations, unusually creative and putting this high ceiling to useful purposes. The crowd and noise with the heat on the streets gave me such a headache that hopefully it will be a reminder why I do NOT choose to go out on the weekends. Yesterday, he flew back to HKG with a suitcase packed with 10 attractive colourful tins of Bengawan Solo cookies, something different from the regular HKG CNY goodies but perfect gifts for his family & friends.

Never let a FOOL KISS you or a KISS FOOL you 🙂 – Joey Adams

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Ageless

6 Feb 2010 – Check the following website

http://www.agelessonline.net/life/tracing-your-roots

Thank you to Eleanor YAP for a well-written article and for wanting to  include me on her site.

Q & A for the ageless… ie over 60s 🙂  Have a wonderful weekend.

Q: Where can men or women over the age of 60 find young, sexy members of the opposite sex who are interesting?  A: Try a bookstore under fiction.

Q: My wife is going through menopause. What can I do?  A: Keep busy. If you’re handy with tools, you can finish the basement. When you are done you will have a place to live.

Q: How can you increase the heart rate of your 60+ year old husband?  A: Tell him you’re pregnant.

Q: How can you avoid spotting a wrinkle every time you walk by a mirror?  A: The next time you’re in front of a mirror, take off your glasses.

Q: Why should 60+ year old people use valet parking?  A: Valets don’t forget where they park your car.

Q: Is it common for 60+ year olds to have problems with short term memory storage?  A: Storing memory is not a problem, retrieving it is a problem.

Q: As people age, do they sleep more soundly?  A : Yes, but usually in the afternoon.

Q: Where do 60+ year olds look for fashionable glasses?  A: Their foreheads.

Q: What is the most common remark made by 60+ year olds when they enter antique stores? A: I remember these!
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Tribute to Luciano Pavarotti

4 Feb 2010 – Happy Bday Lawrence LAM

Have seen La Bohème in Dublin/Ireland, London/UK, Oslo/Norway and Sydney/Australia over the years but do not have much recollections of the casts. An entertaining evening last night at the Esplanade Theatre/SIN with Nancy Yuen, Kota Murakami and Simon Kyung Lee in this performance but was too tired to appreciate it fully.

The most memorable performance of La Bohème was at Sydney Opera House’s Gala Benefit Concert in 1983 with Luciano Pavarotti(1935-2007) and Joan Sutherland. It was the opening of the Sydney Regent Hotel where I was staying and so was Pavarotti. Usually I do not keep programs but he autographed this one and it is very special and precious to me, as there is no other voice like Pavarotti’s when he was at his best, a voice which chills me to the bones! Thank you to brother Lawrence for including me in the opening of the Sydney Regent Hotel then, for the opera tickets and arranging for me to meet Pavarotti.

Feb’s special dates

2 Feb – Happy Bday Cathrine HALD

4 Feb – Happy Bday Lawrence LAM

14 Feb – Kung Hei Fat Choy & Happy Valentine’s Day

15 Feb – Happy Bday Guri STENSETH

16 Feb – Happy Bday Mike FREED/AT Trail name LOON

20 Feb – Happy Bday Henry LIM

Above all, I am an opera singer. This is how people will remember me – Luciano Pavarotti

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Mid-Air Drama

2 Feb 2010 – Safe & Sound in SIN!

Thank you to Linn & Jeff for a delightful stay and for having to put-up with me. To May, good luck with her new job. To both Linn & May, appreciations for all the preparations and for my 60th Bday celebrations which will always be cherished with happy memories. Happy Bday to Cathrine HALD  (Linn & May’s aunt in Norway), who was less than a year when I first met her in 1968.

6lbs overweight in my luggage- instead of paying US$90 for overweight, unloaded 6lbs of chocolate and bought a new carry-on bag at the CAE airport (sale price of US$7). Was thinking to ask if they will overlook the 6lbs since my size is not your usual Americans! Decided not to incase the check-in people had a bad Sat night and Sun 0630hrs is not the best time to provoke anyone!!

Sat night in CAE with freezing temperatures, thus flight NW 9650/DL 5553 (Canadair Regional Jet/CRJ commuter jet) was delayed due to dicing. When we were about to land in ATL, the metal casing from the lights above the window fell. Was sitting on the aisle seat when I heard the noise and grabbed the pole just before it was about to land on my neighbour’s head, who was sitting by the window seat. Never knew I still have those reflexes 🙂 Perhaps it was because I did not have on head-phones and my hearing is still intact 🙂 🙂 Usually have ear-plugs and eye-shades on the long haul flights but not with flights under 2hrs. Thank goodness there was enough layover time to catch the ATL-NRT flight.

Flight NW 5801/DL 801 taxi out on the runway in time but had to turn back as one of the passengers did not feel well for the 14hrs flight. Had to wait in the plane while the passenger deplaned and the unloading of her/his luggage. In spite of all this we landed at NRT on time, only to be told that we are unable to deplane as there was another sick passenger and we had to wait until the ambulance and emergency unit could get this sick passenger off first. Saw that they had to make do with blankets to carry this passenger out by the emergency exit where the ambulance parked waiting. Accompanying this sick passenger was an elderly woman. Could not help thinking if the sick passenger might have been her husband. Thought about taking my camera out but that would be in poor taste! Do remember vaguely hearing an announcement for a medical person in mid-air; by then I have had a cocktail, wine with the meal and sleeping aid with dessert. The ear-plugs and eye-shades were in their places.

Again, enough time to catch NW 619 connection. At present a safe zombie back in SIN on time. Witnessing all this within 24hrs are reminders as to how fortunate my travels have been and hopefully will continue so, considering the amount I travel! Today I received my ezLink Senior Citizen card, which is good for local transportation with bus & MRT in SIN… yippee now I can take the bus for 0.69cents and MRT for 0.68-0.91cents anywhere in SIN as long as not during rush-hours.

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SIN Bound

30 Jan 2010 – Life with 4 Kids…

Never a dull moment until they are all in dreamland! Fri: Tasted and bought cookies at the Blue Flour**** Katy, Ellie & JohnW in FunZone while Jeff, Linn, Sophie & I dined at Bonefish Grill*** Sat: Linn & the kids at Katy‘s school fundraising pancake breakfast and I got to cuddle with Sophie. Nancy is safe with her family in Pensacola/FL after 9hrs drive. May should have arrived in OSL’s freezing temperatures after 14hrs of flying time; for me, the usual drill, over 24hrs flying time ahead, arriving SIN 0100hrs Tue 2 Feb, losing 13hrs which was gained upon arrival.

2010 will be full of traveling like 2009. May asked if I am not tired of all these traveling… but of course, who likes flying like this unless you are a pilot and for them it is just a job. Whoever can invent a zapper to zap me from A to where ever I want to be within 5mins will be my biggest hero 🙂

One more night in CAE and then back to SIN for work and more meetings. This time round CAE-ATL-NRT-SIN, less one airport layover for the SIN bound. Whenever such a long journey is involved, I try to think of something more pleasant instead of dreading it! One step at a time and for now, to pack and looking forward to a friend arriving in SIN on the same day as me.

One step at a time is all that is possible, even when those steps are taken on a run – Anne Schaef

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Downhill

27 Jan 2010 – May & Nancy heading home today

Successful celebrations are over but as the saying goes… do not cry because it is over but smile because it happened. Can always look forward to the next reunion. According to Kenson, it will be downhill from now! For me, yes and no. Yes, in the sense that the energy is not what it was. No, in the way about how situations and things are handled differently today. When respect for others, flexibility and learning are possible, there are no downhill issues. Would struggle with certain situations 10years ago, but now, nah… whatever, as long as there are no premeditation to harming anyone and not life threatening.

When Linn & May were toddlers, I would even wake up if they turned in their beds! Now, I sleep thru’ just about everything. The room I am in here is above the garage; the opening and closing of the garage door is not a quiet motion but I sometimes sleep thru’ that, even twice within the hour. Jeff leaves about 0600hr work and Katy 0700hrs for school. Ellie & JohnW have pre-school 3 mornings a week. Also I hired someone to help clean here weekly during my stay. For now, snuggling with Sophie is what I do best, she will probably be downhill skiing and not interested to cuddle on my next visit 🙂


I’m not a real smart guy. But I’ve got enough brains to realize that when I’m 60 years old and play a sport, that it’s downhill – Lee Trevino

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Bday & Baptism

24 Jan 2010 – Unforgettable Celebrations

How wonderful to see family & friends together. Was overwhelmed with emotions of joy and happiness. May, Linn & Jeff, Katy, Ellie, John and Sophie– words will never justify how I feel with what you all have done for me; Lock & May from Sault Ste Marie/Canada, Dika & Ike from Chicago/IL, Kat & Greg from Manhattan/NY, Cindy & Nancy from Orlando/FL, John & Lynne from Charleston/SC, Glenda & Franklin from NC.

Pictures from different life stages were hang around the fireplace, bringing back many fond memories. Thank you May for the very good idea. A most enjoyable and memorable evening with great company and Southern food. Am speechless except to thank family and friends who took the time traveling here. The weekend ended with Sophie’s baptism today.

The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us – Ashley Montagu

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Katy 8years

23 Jan 2010 – Slumber Party

Nancy arrived safely after 9hrs drive. Thank you for being here. Katy‘s 8th bday slumber party with a chocolate cake (dog-shaped) and pizzas were huge success. Movies projected on the wall was a big hit for the grandmothers, aunt, Ellie and John 🙂 The girls were just too busy being major drama-queens! And the parents were busy with the drama!! The weather was too cold for outdoor roasting of mush-mellows.

This morning they get pancakes for breakfast and will be picked up by 1000hrs. Tonight is the celebrations for me completing 60years of life and tomorrow will be Sophie‘s baptism! Admiration and congratulations to Linn who is doing such great jobs being daughter, sister, mother, educator, friend; and to Jeff for being the best son-in-law, father, doctor and friend. As the saying goes about you can choose your friends but not your family, but in my case fate has been good to choose my family as my friends too.

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life – Richard Bach

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Zombie@Airports

20 Jan 2010 – Safe & happy in CAE

Over 32hrs and 13hrs time difference in 5 different airports, it is amazing any normal person can feel normal! Left SIN Mon 0550hrs and arrived CAE Mon 2345hrs (the only airport I know of with white rocking chairs). Felt like a zombie Tue and starting slowly to function today, Wed 20 Jan (Thu 21 Jan in SIN).

The devastating consequences of the earthquake in Haiti and freezing temperatures in many regions have been headline news the past week. Reuniting with the family and seeing them all healthy and thriving helps me not to think too much about the sad news and also a reminder again about how fortunate I am, so far! Was so touched to receive 60th Bday greetings and presents from Norway, Canada and the USA. Will do my snail mail acknowledgements when back in SIN. Too much going on here at present.

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future – Alex Haley