My Buddy of 8 Years

We are the proud result of manhood bonding. The hero and his sidekick (interchangeable on different occasions). Of Singapore's inter-racial policy. We first met on Day 1 of Junior College in the same OG, then went onto the same class for the next 2 years. We served as Captain and Vice-Captain of our JC house and had friendly rivalry as players in the college football and rugby teams (fighting for the same piece of training field). We were later forced to join a certain Entrepreneur Club by our favourite teacher (the club's chairman was none other than Valedictorian Lin Junjie), but being self-proclaimed sports jocks, we both skipped ALL the club's meetings and events. We also both shared the same A-level grades and of course, joined WKWSCI together. I've seen how he has developed in his craft as a photodocumentarian, and he helped kick-started my filmmaking escapades.And probably one of the more memorable shared experiences was to have formed the same committee in WKWSCI as President and Vice-Pres and met some of the most wonderful people around here and saw how the school has grown into our own.

Back in JC, our friend used to joke that if you want to find Shi Xiong, look for Zak, and vice versa. It became a running joke even through university.

Thank you Zakaria Zainal for 8 years of friendship. And many more to come. Please continue to be courageous and continue to strive on in your craft. PDN I am sure in some time to come. The world may not be the most kind to passionate people but persist and have patience and hopefully we can achieve what we set out to do. Godspeed.

the two most important person on my convocation

My parents of course.

Convocation is significant because it celebrates the end of a long arduous journey, your educational achievements and of course a celebration of all the friendship with your fellow peers.

Not forgetting our parents, who harbored so much hope for our future, whom worked hard so that you can get the best growth possible and to finally see you go on stage to receive your commencement. I later asked my mom if she felt very proud. Happy, she said. But added that having sat through three previous convocations (my sisters), the glamour of it has sort of wore off. Oh well.

break the rules

There is no one way to success, to fulfill a dream. The route which A took may not work out fine for B. I think putting your heart into your chosen route is the real test. We have to break rules sometimes. It isn't fair to say, "that isn't the way to success", "you can't do things like this." We will only know if it works once we have tried and while we are at it, make sure we are putting in our best. It's easy to pay lip service of course.

So here's to all my friends with big dreams to chase. The photo-documentarian who wants to make it onto PDN Top 30 Photographers to Watch, the filmmakers, the photojournalists, the traveler, the business-owner cum computer programmer and etc.

WKWSCI Valedictorian Speech 2010

By my dear friend, JJ Lin. So damn proud of you bro. To think we used to mug together in the benches during year 1.

I don't agree that we have second or even third world drainage system. You only need proper reasoning to see that we've not had such floods in decades. Surely it says something about the recent floods that have occurred.

Then again, it is no excuse for non-action. Something has happened, we have discovered a flaw and work must be done. Especially so with rising sea levels, Singapore should be better prepared and protected.

At the same time, I disagree that there is a fall in the professional conduct of the Police Force. Sure, I agree that the handcuffing incident of the photojournalist is absurd and outrageous but lets all be mindful this is also the same Force that is responsible for the swift action against the band of Kallang slashers in June and the gang responsible for the Orchard Road murder. 8 men have been arrested for the murder in less than 4 days.

44. Inception

So was the ending a dream or a reality?

A reality, so says this website. And I agree.

I'm not absolutely awed by this film but I do agree it's a 4 stars effort.

so many

There are so many things I want to blog about, to record, to reflect, to archive. So many emotions and so many memories I just don't know where to start. It has been a very surreal moment. Within minutes, you finished your walk up on stage and received your certificate holder from the Pro-Chancellor. And then this is it, and that is that.

reminiscing

I became the President of the CI Club when the school was just renamed in memory of our late President, Mr. Wee Kim Wee. At a time when we were still trying to figure out what would be a useful tag (WSCI, WKWSCI, SCI or CS?), I tried using "Wee Kim Wee School" during official events.

During ISG in 2006, the Wee Kim Wee Cheer was first heard. But only in FOC 2008 did the cheer officially replaced the CS Cheer (what is the building in blue called? huh?).


More than a year later, the school officially addresses itself as the Wee Kim Wee School.

A week ago, I saw the sophs leading the incoming freshies over a rendition of the Wee Kim Wee Cheer. It was a very heartfelt moment.

I confess to not having done enough during my tenure, but I am happy to see that at least I have left something behind for a school that will always have a special place in my heart.

Resonation Concert 2010

A rather rush job with lots of confusion and complications prior to the shoot. We probably only took 1 to 1 and a half hours to finish everything at Kaiwen's place.



Ok it's time to publicise for Resonation 2010.

Raise your flag

It was a proud moment to come back home and see the flag flapping outside your window. You turn your heads around and see that many others have also done the same. We may all have different political inclinations but 9th of August is still a proud and glorious day to celebrate our nation. I didn't get the tickets again this year, as usual, but I will still be glued onto the set for the Parade. Detractors and cynics of this system must know that there is nothing wrong or disgusting with normal citizens celebrating their patriotism for their country.

Review

Still got a lot to learn. From life, from this society and from this craft. A review on A Light in the Darkness, may not be a very positive one but definitely humbling and a reminder that there is still room for improvement.

In the Footsteps of My Teacher (2)

I've always wanted to make movies when I was a child, to tell stories using my toy figurines. Like most boys, I had a favourite gun and I carried it with me everywhere I went. My mother's favorite tale during reunions/dinners/events was how we met a gangster in a lift and who told my mom that I would grow up to become either a gangster like him, or a law enforcer. We had another of those dinners again last night and my mom recounted the tale. How apt.

No regrets with the 5DMk2. It's my baby now. The most expensive thing I ever purchased with my own money. Its low light ability and depth of field are to kill. Time to shoot some films.

there are good days and bad days

only so much

We've always overlook some of your mistakes, your weakness, not because we are lax, but because we believe you are still too young to be judged. We don't need to be appreciated. We don't need to be seen as cool. We are only doing what we feel is best for your development and for the group. There is only a few of us and we have other responsibilities in life. But maybe we have spoil you guys too much already. It's really time for you all to grow up and see the real world. There is only so much the seniors can do here in SBM.

Day-Job Filmmakers

My inspirational find one year ago and made me thought a lot about what I want.

Some of the best days of my life were spent in NTU, specifically WKWSCI and Hall 6. But it only struck me till the end of hotel charlie that my university life has already come to an end. And now into the real world.

It does feel a little strange suddenly, maybe because I've spent the whole of senior year counting down and looking forward to graduation but today, I realize I may one day relish the whole experience of being an undergraduate again.

Except that I am fortunate to be able to do what I like as a career. I am lucky, maybe because I always know what I want out of life and I always get to do what I always wanted to do. Maybe all these were easy because of the safe and protected confines of education. The working world will be a real test. Something that I am definitely looking forward to, though I must admit I think undergraduate life is something irreplacable. And which would not have been possible without these special friends that I've met in this 4 years, my fellow peers and my juniors here in WKWSCI. I don't have to name any names, you guys know you who are.

Have been a bit busy when I thought I would be otherwise. Shooting a short film during the coming Thursday with the 5D. Lets see how it works out. Filmmaking is passion and something that I will continue to pursue as a hobbyist.

do cows cry?

People come to A Buddhist Perspective many ways, one of which is through keyword searches. I just saw that a recent keyword search was "do cows cry." I cannot answer that but immediately remembered a story a good, and trusted, friend had related to me.

He and his wife were visiting their son and his wife who lived out of town on some acreage that was next to a farm. One morning during the visit, they all awoke to sounds of cows in great distress. Not knowing what was happening, but concerned, the four of them drove over to the farm and found the farmer.

When they asked what was happening, he explained.

One of the older cows had died during the night. When he heard the lowing, he went to the field and saw that the cows were all standing around the dead one and lowing in great distress. He quickly got his tractor, dug a deep hole, and maneuvered the dead cow into the hole.

To his amazement the cows positioned themselves around the hole and one or two even tried to climb down into it. The others were around the rim and the older ones pushed their way to to the edge of the hole as the younger ones were pushed away to stand behind the older ones. It was as if senior mourners had taken their place before younger ones. The farmer had had the older cows since they were calves and hadn't wanted to kill animals just because they were not productive so the herd had been together for several years.

My friend had shaken his head when he told me of this, saying he had never seen anything like it before.

So. Do cows cry? I do not know. But apparently, they can feel loss and great sadness and distress. Something we would do well to understand.

The above is a photo taken in late 2008 in Sri Lanka. The monk had come to where the cows were to save them from being killed. After he had done so, the above occurred. Prostrating is a traditional way of paying utmost respect to a monastic in Asia.

by Venerable Wuling

Raising funds for FYP

My juniors back in school need some help in this video competition. They are raising funds for their FYP film and need votes to win the prize. You can view and vote for their video here, http://www.nparks.gov.sg/justbinit/videos/view/72

The prize money will come in handy for their filmmaking dreams

This is the Best Day of my Life

After months of waiting and eventually thinking that it's over, the phone call I've been waiting for finally came, and the nation beckons.

To serve my country at such a level is an honour that I could only dream of, but now a reality.

Waiting for employment. The longest wait. With phases of tests and interviews. Looking at the mobile phone all day and hoping for the call to get through. Probably will last all the way till December. This should be the best time to make a film. But creativity is running dry. Seems like a syndrome since the start of Junior year. Had coffee with Lim Chee and things are looking good for a project.

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

One chance to prove its worth.

World's fastest growing economy.

A great piece of news as our young nation approaches its 45th birthday. Singapore could be the world's fastest growing economy, judging from reports and it's the record growth in the history of the island-nation since its independence. No matter what our naysayers may say, it's a proud and happy moment for us all.

Singapore sees economy growing 15pm - Telegraph.
World's fastest growing economy - Straits Times.

And it's time to hang your flags for 9th August.

In the Footsteps of My Teacher

Sri Lanka has been the stronghold of Theravada Buddhism for more than two thousand years, since Arahant Mahinda, the eldest son of King Asoka, spread the Buddha's teachings to King Tissa of ancient Lanka.

Sri Lanka is also the home of my Teacher, Venerable K. Dhammika, under whom I took my Refuge in the Triple Gems and the Five Precepts.


We visited Venerable Dr. K. Anuruddha, the Chief Reverend of Singapore Buddhist Mission. Dr. Anuruddha is an eminent monk and revered by many. A professor at Hong Kong University, we managed to catch up him while he was taking a rest back in his home country.

Fantasy Island

Beautiful country, beautiful people, beautiful temples and beautiful beaches.

I took an informal pledge to finally cut myself from the world i.e. Singapore, but Fate has it that I had to check the Internet thrice, albeit, 3 very short sessions. For a country that is rebuilding itself after 3 decades of Civil War, Sri Lanka is very much a country full of happy people.

Tried to find a copy of this film but was without luck.

My dad turned 61 years old last Sunday. It surprises me when I did the calculations. Suddenly, time seems to have passed so quickly. I took a few hours and sieved through all the old and forgotten photo albums stacked in a corner of the house. I looked through his pictures, those taken when he was a schoolboy in the Chinese medium school, his college days, his dates with my mother and etc. It was as if I am in a whole new process of getting to know my father again. I never knew he performed in school, I’ve never seen him in a school uniform. I never knew he was even on the papers before.

Sometimes I wonder what my father is like as a friend, how was he like when he was my age? But I think I don’t need to change the way my father communicates with his only son. We are Asians and we work perfectly well the way we are. Sometimes it’s not the words that we need to say, but the subtle actions that we show that we care.


Thank you Dad, and Happy Birthday.

"They represented Japan and also Asia as a whole and they played until the end so I'm proud of them," he added.

"I was not able to make them win, that's my responsibility, I did not make them eager enough."

- Okada.

A humble man. Indeed, Japan was carrying Asia's hope, except lady luck had it on penalties.

I think this little trip is timely, also for the younger generation to now take over the youth group. I am glad and comforted to see them now all grown up and ready to take over the reins of the youth group. It's a joy really, as if you are seeing your own younger brothers and sisters growing up. I never have any younger siblings so they are like my own. It's not an exaggeration. I was 19 when they first joined the youth group at 12/13. The transition then to now, 18/19/20, is a huge transformation. It does feel funny to think that after 6 years holding onto this portfolio, I will now be stepping down. But change is the only constant. Changes can also mean improvement. I am grateful for the chance to serve, it opened a lot of doors for me and now it's their turn.

Honestly you guys have probably the best team ever in the history of the youth group. I am sure we will go far.

Hello Sri Lanka

Less than half a year later, I'm going back to South Asia again. This time, beautiful Sri Lanka. So it's goodbye Singapore for now and be back soon.

I am quite disturbed to find that some critics of the ruling party were actually celebrating that floods were occurring across the island, despite the fact that these floods have caused more damages to the ordinary people than anyone. In the pursuit of their own personal political agenda, are these critics unwittingly pitting themselves against Singapore and the common Singaporeans?

The Black Spider

That is legendary Soviet goalkeeper, Lev Yasin.