The Special Lot – Friends from Joo Chiat

October 27, 2005 Leave a comment

Many people often listened in disbelief whenever I told them I am going for a Primary School Gathering. These days, it is so rare to find some one around you who are still keeping close contact with their primary school friends. I guess my primary school buddies are the special lot.
 
It is natural that we are closer to friends whom we meet in secondary schools / office. There are many reasons to it. First, we dun discuss much "matters of the heart" with our primary school friends. We weren’t into BGR affairs or wild puberty parties. There is hardly any chance for us to share our minds – just helping one another to look out in between class periods for us to make noise and move around – before the next teacher comes in.
 
What’s more, we only have 4 hours/day for ourselves. Unlike the usual 8 hours/day for poly friends and 10 hours/day for office colleagues. The time gap between primary school days and poly days is wide enough to "dissolve" many contacts, memories and friendship. Moreover, we are city-dwellers, it is hard to find "kampong spirit"… Thus, the term "childhood friends" is often difficult to define in Singapore. Are we talking about friends before 10, 13 or 15? How do you really measure "childhood friends".
 
While we have never pick any of our primary school mates as our best-man or bridesmaid (a sign of close friendship) for our wedding, we aren’t the "hi-&-bye" friends either. My primary school friends have been with me for almost 30 years…a couple of them are even from my kindergarten days. Though there are big window of absence (when the there are lost contacts, overseas studies and working overseas), we are often taking up efforts to come together.
 
Yes, it may not be rosy memory for all primary childhood tales. I remember receiving my first "lady slap" at 12 – though a traumatised episode – I often recalled that incident as fond memory so childlike and pure. Yes, I didn’t dare to speak to the "lady" for almost 12 years- not until our first gathering – Guess her beauty has made me forgot about the slap. Now, we simply laughed over that episode whenever we met up.
 
Well yesterday, there is one such gathering again. ( I can’t attend due to some left-over work in office).
 

My brother "Joachim" has done well reuniting all the lost sheep. For years, without fail, he has been the pillar of my primary school friends and have faithfully + constantly rounding us up. From a small gathering of 7, we have grown to a sizable family now. (We have found Simon, Shujin, Caofa, Tony, Fiona, Lionnel, Huijuan, Lijing, Jinwei, Weijian, Weifen, Zhihow, Wancheng, John, Vincent and more to come).
 
There is nothing prideful / business agenda amongst us. There is no comparison of wealth, status etc. Simply some old friends who want to rekindle old ties once in a while.
 
Guess we came out from the right school. A school that taught us how to cherish old ties – despite all difficulties. That is what friends are for.
 

Filed under Wahbiang

Numbers of Our Lives

October 26, 2005 Leave a comment

Just a new concept to
share…(dated 18th April 2005)
 
When I first bought my Nikon 950
CoolPix, I realised the camera numbered every image with an unique ID
number. So, I started snapping the first 0001 back in March 2002. I
cannot remember what is the first shoot and be bothered by the numbers.
But then, I always wonder when will I complete the 9999th shot. Well, it
happened recently. I just found out today.
 
Significantly, Photo
9999 was taken by Siow Wei of Joanne with Elkan. Never
can I predict what will be in this image…(time, venue, faces). But it
did happened…on Friday nite. It is not really a grand and perfect shot
but it is fatefully numbered 9999.
 
I have a strange concept… taking
images is just like living life… everything in life seemed to be
numbered. You cannot predict or plan a specific number for your ideal
image. For instance, I cannot plan ahead and only reserve shot "8888"
for my birthday etc.. So many factors will affect every individual photo
number tag – just like our own IC number. Every face, every event
contribute a number in my photo bank.
 
These numbers react like
"time". It is a number to remind you what are you today and what you
were back then.  
 
I have just scanned my entire
photobank…there is no way I can listed down all 9999 images. Some
images have been deleted for re-shoot or the images simply turned out
too blur or bad. Sadly, I can’t even locate image "8888" or even "1111".
Some of the happiest shots weren’t even nicely numbered – like I had my
last year birthday cake-cutting image at "7892"
 
Then, I started to list down some
important events that I remembered and got these ID:
 
1) Joanne and Ramesh first kiss at
ROM (2189)
2) The last shot before Siow Wei
left for Australia (0868)
3) The moment Duuk took out a ring
and propose (3042)
4) When Juli and Duuk received the
gifts for the Couple Award (9968)
5) First image of Elkan (7938)
6) Caffeine’s first company trip in
KL (8224)
7) My first touch of the Great Wall
(7085) and my first image in Shanghai (1070)
8) When Joanne saw her iShuffle
(9727)
9) Feli tear-dropping Birthday
surprise this year (8946)
 
Want to know what my 666th
image (devil number) looks like? It looks like heaven.
 
Life is never what we imagine.

Filed under Jo's Thoughts

For My Shanghai Knight & Kitty (Francis is the kitty!)

October 25, 2005 2 Comments


WHY I STARTED BLOGGING ONLY NOW
 
I know I may be a little bit late to get on the trend of blogging. Afterall, we are running a business in the internet industry. I never really give "blogging" a thought even though the fever started back in 2002. It is only when Joanne helped me to upload the "Wahbiang 1997" website , I decided to start blogging about the happenings around Wahbiang.
 
Cos’ when I re-read what I typed in 1997, there are a lot of fond details which I never put in my memories. Especially the old juicy tales about Stephen and Kalinda, Yifu and his flings in UK, Yixi and Shujuan, Felicia’s old letters from Perth etc. These are often the second-level of memories that our brain never recorded. I only remember Felicia went to Perth – I dun remember her first words about Perth. I remember Yixi met Lusia – I dun remember that he dumped Shujuan for Lusia. I remember Stephen broke off with Kalinda – I dun remember Kalinda’s final words to Stephen. I remember Yifu went UK – ah ha… I STILL remember his stories on his UK flings! (haaa…harmless flirt, so Lilian, dun worry.)
 
It was only when "Wahbiang 1997" went live, I started to recall all those details. Perhaps, this is what blogging is all about – capturing the second-level of memories that your brain won’t record.
 
Since blogging started on 22nd Oct 2005…I have been really excited and started broadcasting to my friend. But that is the problem, people in the clan are worried….that I spill their secrets online. Stephen gave me a nickname in the clan – "Search Engine".. if you need news, you can always come to Joe. Cos’ he got news faster and better. What’s more, he will show you more than a link.
 
This goes to Echo and Francis – who went thru every images I had on this blog and msn me "nai bei" – cos there isn’t any one photo of these 2 lovely ones here. (Heee… I am still updating lah. Dun worry, you have your photos tonight.)
 

Filed under Wahbiang

Yifu Wedding – The night Yifu shed tears

October 23, 2005 1 Comment


A Wedding Night that is so unprecedented and unforgettable. Never have I been so moved and touched by the sincere, raw, real, unpretentious emotional expression by our good friend, Yifu. Being friend with him for almost 18 years, I have never see him shed tears (besides the passing of his dad in 2000) and expressed gratitude for those he loves so much.

Yes, he mentioned about being prideful. And getting the best for his wedding.

I told many. This was the most stressful wedding day role I ever played. Cos’ from the beginning, Yifu has been “warning” me to do it right. He had made numerous sms, calls to me to check on my standing to make sure he has my best effort for his night. (more “siong” than Juliana and Joanne’s wedding) He has high expectation for his wedding day and he needed it to be executed perfectly. I realized that he placed such high importance for his marriage that he took care of all the details – from MC’s scripts to our movement charts – He did it well and organized. Honestly, he made my job really easy.

It was during his speech (the sober script) last night that made me realized my friend Yifu has grown up. He has crafted a beautiful wedding speech and delivered that speech with crystal, manly yet humorous voice. The speech was obviously pre-scripted but it was beautifully narrated. I always knew Yifu as someone who is uncomfortable in addressing the masses. But he just delivered that piece so well and refined.

I guess Yifu may wake up today not knowing what the hell happened last night. But I believe he took a step bigger than anyone of us to communicate his feelings. For once in my life, I never shed tears in a wedding dinner (come on, this is NOT my best girlfriend’s wedding). He stood there, bravely, discarding his pre-scripted posture and character, expressing his innermost gratitude to his father-in-law, uncle, sisters and friends. I didn’t felt his pain of tears… I shared his tears of joys.

It was chaotic near the stage. The people at HSBC wanna to drink more with him – a farewell gesture to a great colleague before he rejoined IDA. His sisters were worried about him falling off the stage. But that moment when he went on stage hugging his father-in-laws, thanking his sisters for raising him up, Yifu isn’t the only one who shed tears at that point. I looked around me – everyone who could empathise with his emotions cried too.

What took a prideful and face-of-steel-man to his knees to reveal his inner self? Just 10 glasses of wine plus many years of unexpressed feelings.

Hock, if you are sober now and reading this. I want to share with you that you have done us proud. You have really traveled a long way from your car-washing / pizza-delivering days. You wanted a taste of success and high-lifestyle so much – I want to tell you this – You have made it. Not on the day you got your degree. Not on the day you got your condo. Not on the day you had a job with high wages.

You made it on the day when you were drunk. On the day when you shared your deepest joys and gratitude with those who love you. Cos’ when you were so dead drunk, I saw many faces around you – people who really care and love you so much. People who shed tears and laughed with you. They saw your success. You made it, bro.

For those who are as drunk but cannot make a scene (cos’ it is not your day, haaa)…. It has been a beautiful night with so much to ponder about. Especially to Yixi, MingLiang, Stephen, Jimmy and Meijie.  You brothers have taken so much load of work and I can safely retreat to my seat without much worries.

Filed under Wahbiang

52 Weeks with Elkan

October 23, 2005 Leave a comment



"When a child is born, a father is born."

Juliana gave me a book on fatherhood around the time when Felicia is going to deliver Elkan. Somehow, this copy left me a very deep impression about parenthood.            

Parenthood has certainly changed our lives in a great way. Before, I could never tell the big difference between our courtship days and our marriage life. There were still the same lovely weekend movies, regular fine-dining and annually holiday trip.

Somehow, all these changed when Elkan is born. There is no more weekend movies at the cinema – now we spend our weekend playing xbox games. Fine-dining has become a luxurious weekday affair when Elkan is not around. And overnight, all my wahbiang buddies became weekend nannies for my Elkan. Financially, there is also a big impact on our monthly spendings. We are keeping a huge part of our wages for this little monkey of ours. And soon, I have to start looking for a bigger unit to house our child. The current “studio apartment” is running out space fast. Where is the “zen element” that we were looking into when we first renovated this house? The list of changes can go on and on…       

Ambrose, Travis, Ethan or Elkan?

Naming my son could be the most difficult “branding project” I ever engaged. In fact, both Felicia and myself have been spending a lot of our time browsing thru hundred of baby names at MPH months before our son is born. Somehow, the name “Ambrose” has been ringing in my mind 3 months before the full-term of my son. First, I tot it is unique and it sure sound manly. But this name has been “violently objected” by almost 90% of my friends and family. For once in my life, I took their advise and picked another name.      

Eventually, the name “Elkan” is conceived (from internet) 12 hours before our son is born. “Elkan” is a hebrew name – meaning “belonging to God”. I have always put my faith and belief in Christianity but was too lazy to go church on Sundays. I hope my son would find his own connection with God one day.   

52 Weeks with Elkan

I would really love to title this booklet “365 days with Elkan”. The truth is we have only spent 52 precious weekends + 10 public holidays + 10 “mother-in-law on leaves” days with our son. That is why every weekend, I would try to snap as many photographs of Elkan – so that I can observe his growth and changes the next week we picked him up from my in-law.

Learning from Elkan

Believe it or not – The smallest being on earth has the largest influence on us. Wendy would agree with me. Stephen, Felicia and even Meijie are mimicking Elkan’s baby language. He certainly has powerful “communication influence” over these adults. 

Elkan may be just a baby but I am learning so much new things from him every weekend. Observing how Elkan starting to walk, how he got down the bed and the way he is trying to communicate are simply AMAZING. From what I have learnt over these 52 weekends, I made one discovery – A baby’s brain may be operating 10 times faster than us. Elkan has superb eye-sight, reaction speed and memory. It is a joy just to watch and observe his reactions time over time. Perhaps, it is time to teach him how to play my xbox.       

Doting Nannies

Just want to thank all of you for doting our little Elkan. Especially to these weekly full-time nannies – Stephen, Wendy, Joanne, Tracy, Kalinda, Juliana, Duuk and Meijie. Thanks to “Spell”, Elkan has achieved his first 11K publication appearance even before he turned 1. For Juliana and Stephen, thanks for all the nice clothings and toys that you have bought for our Elkan over the past 52 weekends. And yes, Kalinda, we can’t wait to spin your “merry-go-round” and see the completion of your banner “Elkan – My First Year”. Joanne and Tracy, thanks for helping up, covering my duties at work and watching over Elkan – be it at Caffeine or Hotel 25. For Duuk and Meijie, I know it may be bored for you guys. But really appreciate your presence at my hotel every Sat for our regular sessions of xbox.

Last but no least, a BIG THANK YOU to my mother-in-law, Chup and Stella for spending your days with Elkan. And huggies for my papa and mama, Auntie Amy and Sister Jovel who loves Elkan so much. And yes, BIG BIG LOVE for my dear Bobo who has lost so much energy taking care of 2 babies at Hotel 25. (Hint: any holiday trip soon?)           

Filed under Family

Elkan Unwrapped Presents!

October 23, 2005 Leave a comment

Elkan Unwrapped Presents – Last night, Elkan had his first honor to unwrap his 1st birthday gifts in front of all his doting uncles and aunties. Gosh, my entire living room is filled with Elkan’s item now!

Filed under Family

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