Trust No One

Since last month, I am easily nervous. Mind gets easily overloaded when trying to weigh the pro and con of a decision on my career path. Things get complicated easily when it has to weigh against my living expense, rental place, lifestyle and next step of my career path in a full loop. What if, else if, if then, what next and so on. When my career path gets entangled with legal matter, my mind gets frozen. Unknown risk of each decisions taken are too much to bear. I may be already in the pre-condition of a depression now. 

The advice and guide I got from lawyers only provide me temporary comfort but with no clear cut yes or no. No wonder lawyer gets one of the highest pay in the world. They are really super computer able to memorize the number of clause pertaining to particular problem in legal dispute as I have learnt from a TVB drama.

I know it is easy to get out of the current dilemma but the lingering question is whether I can stand through the path I shall take or not. I find myself not able to trust anyone even more through the current crisis I am facing now. Hypocrisy is so disgusting. I hope those hypocrite people will get their karma as soon as during their lifetime. Perhaps this is how they have to be to survive in this dog-eating-dog life.   

Going back to myself in question. Am I part of the problem which I am facing now? Should I be more hypocrite than those people around me so that they won't eat me up without me getting some from them too. Should I be more greed and wicked than them to reciprocate what they did to me? I feel despair of what I perceive the world of career around me as hypocrite. As long as my family feel happy with me, I will do whatever it helps me to stay as what I am with my family. I feel sad that apparently the step I am about to take to counter my problem is like to "fight evil with evil". What I am worried is what if the evil itself eat me up and turn myself into someone as evil as what I have perceived of others in future? 

This is why we always tend to say "Life is complicated". Don't expect others to treat you well. Others will always take something from you. Sigh... 

      

SingaPOP! 2011 @Promontory Marina Bay

SingaPOP! concert pays tribute to 50 years of pop music development in Singapore, in parallel with 50 years of Singapore's economic development. For the first time in Singapore, SingaPop! features a stellar line-up of of Ah-Do (阿杜), Dick Lee, Douglas Oliverio, Jack and Rai, John Molina, Kit Chan (陈洁仪), Ling Xiao, Olivia Ong (王俪婷), Rahimah Rahim, Sakura Teng, Taufik Batisah, Tokyo Square, Vernon Cornelius, Najip Ali and many more, complemented by a Superband of top musicians, dancers and a bold, vibrant multimedia extravaganza.

I reached the concert venue at Promontory Marina Bay quite late at 7.50pm, 10 minutes into the show. My mistake of thinking it is located at Esplanade cost me one hour time of walking from City Hall MRT to Esplanade Bay and vice-versa before I realized it is located opposite across the bay which is about 15 minutes walk from Raffles City MRT. Every cloud has its silver lining. It saved me from getting wet because of a brief raining. Weather was very good and cool after the rain stopped.

The main stage and audience seats are actually built on a reclaimed land at Marina Boulevard. Even as I was approaching the stage from afar, the music was super clear. At time nearing to the start of the concert scheduled at 8pm, I was surprised to be able to chope the front standing area which is so close to the main stage although this event is free seating and standing,

#1 Promontory Marina Bay from NTUC. Music is super clear from afar

Here are the line up of much awaited artistes in the concert:

#2 Kit Chan (陈洁仪). She belted out her debut and signature song "Heartache / 心痛"

#3 Kit Chan (陈洁仪). Her "Heartache / 心痛" brings me down to 90's memory lane; 
1994 to be exact

#4  Ah-Do (杜成义/阿杜). An artist of 21st century, his vocal is rare unique and sexy.

#5 Ah-Do (杜成义/阿杜). His song "He Must Love You So Much /他一定很愛你" of 00's is addictive

  

#6 Taufik Batisah. First Singapore Idol winner of 21st century

#7 Taufik Batisah. He belted out his Malay original song. 

#8 Olivia Ong (王俪婷)

#9 Olivia Ong (王俪婷). She sang 如燕, theme song of Little Nyonya (小娘惹). 

Other performers and artistes during the 2 hour concert include Veronica Young of 60's with her rendition of Millie Small's "My Boy Lollipop", Sakura Teng with her yodeling genre of her time, Tokyo Square with their epic "Within You Will Remain" fusion of western and eastern music (wo ai ni~ I love you~ can't stop repeating this), Dick Lee with Najip Ali and Sheikh Haikel delivering a hot rapping rendition of "Rasa Sayang" boosted with an energetic bunch of kids showcasing hip hop dance.


Being in the concert itself was like riding on a time machine. The nostalgic and momentous era of from 60's to 21st century, this musical time machine rode us on, are so heart-warming. All thanks to Dick Lee for his brilliant brainchild and the sponsorship from DBS, Keppel Corporation, MasterCard Worldwide, Sembcorp, DHL, ExxonMobil, GlaxoSmithKline, Kulicke & Soffa and Makino.  

#10 On the way to Baybeats 2011 @Esplanade

Preview: SingaPOP 2011

#1

#2 Main stage on setting up

SingaPOP concert will pay tribute to 50 years of pop music development in Singapore, in parallel with 50 years of Singapore's economic development. For the first time in Singapore, SingaPop! features a stellar line-up of of Ah-Do (阿杜) , Dick Lee, Douglas Oliverio, Jack and Rai, John Molina, Kit Chan (陳潔儀), Ling Xiao, Olivia Ong (王儷婷), Rahimah Rahim, Sakura Teng, Taufik Batisah, Tokyo Square, Vernon Cornelius and many more, complemented by a Superband of top musicians, dancers and a bold, vibrant multimedia extravaganza.

Preview: Singapore Baybeats 2011

#1

#2 Lineup Program

#3 Towards Outdoor Theater

#4 Art of Display

#5 Main Stage

Cowboys & Aliens

Official website: www.cowboysandaliensmovie.com

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys_&_Aliens_(film)

Main cast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford & Olivia Wilde

Director: Jon Favreau

Release date: 11 August 2011

Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes

Plot:
In 1873 Arizona, a loner named Jake Lonergan (Craig) awakens with no memory of his past and a mysterious shackle around his wrist. He enters the town of Absolution where he learns he is a notorious criminal wanted by many people, including Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde (Ford), who rules the town with an iron fist. But Absolution soon faces an even greater threat when mysterious forces attack the town from the sky, taking anyone in their path. While Jake's shackle holds the key to defeating them, he must align himself with Dolarhyde and other former enemies to make a stand against this mysterious and powerful foe.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXHhnT1tHNM

Cinema: Cathay City Square Johor Bahru

Ticket Price: RM 12.00

Rating:

Plot           5/10

Effect        9/10

Scene       9/10

Cast         8/10

Overall  7.8/10

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Official website: www.apeswillrise.com

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_of_the_Planet_of_the_Apes

Main cast: James Franco & Freida Pinto

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Release date: 04 August 2011

Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Plot:
Set in present day San Francisco, James Franco plays a scientist who's working on a cure for Alzheimer's by testing it on apes. The man's experiment with genetic engineering leads to the development of intelligence in apes. Not long after, the start of a war for domination between the human and ape species takes place.

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=28Z_D9Grh18

Cinema: Cathay City Square Johor Bahru

Ticket Price: RM 12.00

Rating:

Plot           9/10

Effect     9.5/10

Scene    9.5/10

Cast         8/10

Overall     9/10

Valkyrie (On Air)

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie_(film)

Main cast: Tom Cruise

Director: Bryan Singer

Release date: 12 February 2009

Running time: 2 hour 4 minutes

Plot:
The "July 20 Plot" on Hitler's life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War II. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, a complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler once he is dead. However fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg into an imminent ultimatum. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation's government, he must also kill Hitler himself.

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFWVbUmY12A

TV Channel: Singapore Channel 5

Time: 07 August 2011 7.30pm-9.30pm

Rating:

Plot           9/10

Effect        9/10

Scene    9.5/10

Cast         9/10

Overall  9.1/10

Quotes:

Col. Claus von Stauffenberg: The Fuhrer's promises of peace and prosperity have fallen by the wayside leaving in their wake a path of destruction. The outrages committed by Hitler's SS are a stain on the honor of the German Army. There is widespread disgust in the officer corps toward the crimes committed by the Nazis, the murder of civilians, the torture and starvation of prisoners, the mass execution of Jews. My duty as an officer is no longer to save my country, but to save human lives. I cannot find one general in a position to confront Hitler with the courage to do it.

Green Tea Cream with Vanilla Syrup @JB City Square Starbucks

Venti size green tea cream with vanilla syrup and cream

Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Starbucks, JB City Square

Nasi Lemak @JB City Square Food Junction

Nasi Lemak set inclusive of fried chicken, scrambled egg, roasted peanuts &
anchovies and spicy & sweet paste with additional fried mashed potatoes (RM 7.40);
Fried chicken is superb crispy, aromatic and yummy

Rating: 8/10
Location: JB City Square Level 5 Food Junction

Polar Sugar Roll @NEX, Serangoon

Polar Sugar Roll (S$1.10)

Rating: 7/10
Location: Polar Puffs & Cakes, NEX, Serangoon

Repent

The last five days I was in a messy state of emotion and drowned with a turmoil of logic reasoning just because 5th August 2011 was approaching. It was supposed to be the day when I made a tangential turning point in my life. Out of the blue, I received a token of appreciation and invitation to share story of my learning curve and my aspiration of future-me. After all, I treasure recognition.

Having thoughts and analysis over my present state for more than a week since greed and rebelliousness conquer my mind, a better and realistic solution comes to my mind. I will continue capitalizing what I have in the present to the best I could while enriching myself again in my favorite language study during my spare time. There would be a remaining18-month stepping stone for a better of me. 아자! 아자! 화이팅!!

Random Memory of Past and Present

Life in university is indeed exciting, filled with surprises and happy moments as much as sad and disappointing experiences. Perhaps the tiredness of working, coupled with "The Grey Havens" and "Twilight and Shadow" soundtrack environment, brought me back to the time when I was embarking on a new turning point of my life in the late 2003.

I was struggling emotionally with my second job after graduation in Senawang. With pure luck, I got the opportunity to pursue a postgraduate research thus able to terminate my seemingly bleak job in Senawang. Yet I couldn't recall on how I managed to get to this. Going back to study in 2003.

Starting a postgraduate life was blissfully smooth owing to my friend who was already there pursuing similar postgraduate when I arrived back to continue study. I still recall the look of me when I first reached my friend's place the very first day. Stressed-out old. Life could be difficult if not for my friend's care and help.

Postgraduate research was easy when I had burning passion and interest to pursue to the completion, though it seems to be very tough in the perspective of others. I might be either lucky or good enough to complete my research within one and a half year. Getting a master degree is one of the proud achievements in my life yet it also signifies the laughing stock of me owing to my present state. Lowly and pitiful. Am I?

I went through a nine-month work with underpaid compensation and overqualified capacity. Had been slaved terribly the first two months quietly before fighting over for a better assignment. Subsequent months were blissfully easy and good. Yet my conscience and rebelliousness overwhelm me recently. I thought I went insane the last Monday when I didn't feel any motivation or interest to do my job. I could just walk out from the office heading back to my bed to sulk up like a baby.

More or less, depression I am having now. It could be the worst since when I throw out everything of my life the last June. Nevertheless, I did not and do not have any regret over it. Yet the choice I took subsequently is apparently not much better than the former.

5th August is coming soon. Brave up. Sigh...