Thursday, March 15, 2007
Tremors
There was one day when I happened to go for lunch at a nearby kopitiam with some colleagues, when I experienced a dizzyness never felt before. I thought to myself, "Cham4! This time I'm done for. Something must be seriously wrong with me!" For an instant I thought it was something shaking the table (you know how some individuals like to rock the table while unknowingly shaking their legs?), so I leant back on the chair, to find my head still spinning!
Later, some other colleagues chanced upon us at the kopitiam and asked what we were doing there. We later learnt that there was a mass evacuation and assembly of the whole school due to tremors which were triggered from an earthquake in Sumatra! Whoa! Exciting hor?
But we didn't think much of it. And I was privately relieved that it was the tremors at fault, and not my body going haywire! Heh. We proceeded on to the dreaded workshop. But when we just settled down, I felt the 'dizzyness' once again! Oh man! This time we heard the announcement on the PA system to gather at the track. Even the press was there! Whatever for? They seem like vultures!
After baking in the sun for quite some time, it was finally announced that school would end then, and of course it was accompanied by lots of cheers in the background! (Including me of course!) We ended school because the building contractor had to come scan the building and ensure that it is safe to be used. Everyone had to be evacuated. (The theory is, it is safer at home. Heh. As long as it doesn't affect the school!)
I didn't wanna squeeze with students on the bus, so I decided to walk instead. When I reached the busstop along Braddell Road, students spotted me and shouted to me from the bus! Oh man... quite paiseh, but quite happy too! Dilemma. Heh.
Anyway, I walked ALL the way to Thomson Plaza to borrow VCDs from VideoEzy. That was the main motivation to keep me walking! And I wanted to break record too lah! Heh. Not that most of you will appreciate this. Heh.
The news that night stated that there were many locations in Singapore that experienced the tremors. Just tremors and we make a hooha, have we thought about the Indonesians who were directly affected by it, in terms of lives and property?
My mummy was funny. She saw people run out of the building and she followed suit. Her boss asked her why she was running. She replied that she didn't know... and she retorted that only those people with money will run... cos they want to protect their money! Hahaha! Ridiculous. That's my mummy...
Later, some other colleagues chanced upon us at the kopitiam and asked what we were doing there. We later learnt that there was a mass evacuation and assembly of the whole school due to tremors which were triggered from an earthquake in Sumatra! Whoa! Exciting hor?
But we didn't think much of it. And I was privately relieved that it was the tremors at fault, and not my body going haywire! Heh. We proceeded on to the dreaded workshop. But when we just settled down, I felt the 'dizzyness' once again! Oh man! This time we heard the announcement on the PA system to gather at the track. Even the press was there! Whatever for? They seem like vultures!
After baking in the sun for quite some time, it was finally announced that school would end then, and of course it was accompanied by lots of cheers in the background! (Including me of course!) We ended school because the building contractor had to come scan the building and ensure that it is safe to be used. Everyone had to be evacuated. (The theory is, it is safer at home. Heh. As long as it doesn't affect the school!)
I didn't wanna squeeze with students on the bus, so I decided to walk instead. When I reached the busstop along Braddell Road, students spotted me and shouted to me from the bus! Oh man... quite paiseh, but quite happy too! Dilemma. Heh.
Anyway, I walked ALL the way to Thomson Plaza to borrow VCDs from VideoEzy. That was the main motivation to keep me walking! And I wanted to break record too lah! Heh. Not that most of you will appreciate this. Heh.
The news that night stated that there were many locations in Singapore that experienced the tremors. Just tremors and we make a hooha, have we thought about the Indonesians who were directly affected by it, in terms of lives and property?
My mummy was funny. She saw people run out of the building and she followed suit. Her boss asked her why she was running. She replied that she didn't know... and she retorted that only those people with money will run... cos they want to protect their money! Hahaha! Ridiculous. That's my mummy...
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Exciting life
Had another exciting experience.
We were driving to Tiong Bahru for dinner at night, and were on Tiong Bahru Road (perpendicular to Seng Poh Road), when we saw a guy sitting on a red chair in the middle of the road!!! Fortunately we were travelling on the extreme left lane on a 3-lane road. The insane guy was seated in the middle lane... and facing the traffic! He was dressed in blue, so it was difficult to see him. And he obviously wanted to die in an exciting manner! How many of us love the intoxication of facing oncoming traffic?
But luckily that isn't a road many speed on. Vehicles did manage to spot him in time and swerve into another lane to avoid being the unlucky scapegoat to cause the crazy fella's death and get blamed for it! (Actually, if *touchwood* something like this happens, will the driver be charged? Assuming that he is within the speed limit... But then again, he'll be tortured by the trauma of the accident and his conscience....) What an idiot right? Wanna die then just go swallow sleeping pills or something. If he chose to jump down some block or slash his wrist, people will still have to clear up the mess. If he gased himself to death, waste electricity and gas (non-renewable resource). Incosiderate fella.
Anyway, I called the police and informed them. Quite exciting... 1st time I've called 999 to report something. (The last time was when I was young. I called and hung up. Almost immediately, I received a call back and got a stern warning from the police officer.) Anyway, the policeman asked me to tell him my number, and I almost uttered the wrong number! (How often do you call yourself?!) Then he couldn't understand Seng Poh Rd!
I did return to the 'scene' to kaypoh. Instead of seeing the police there and kicking up a fuss, or people surrounding to gossip, I saw a car stopped in front of a scooter, with a silver umbrella spread open on the road behind the scooter. And some passers-by looking on. Nobody was hurt, but the scooter's license plate was crooked. THe crazy fella was standing nearby at a tree, with his red chair. I assume that the car had swerved to avoid hitting the crazy fella, and inevitably hit the scooter.
Since nothing significant happened, I resumed dinner. But when I checked my phone and returned the call to an unknown number... it turned out to be the police! They had called to verify the location again... at Outram! My goodness! How shocking can this get? Imagine you were running for your life, and you call the police to save you. But they call you and verify the place... and they are at a totally WRONG location! Oh my! Unimaginable!
What to do?
Exciting life... 2 police encounters in less than a week! Are you envious? Heh.
We were driving to Tiong Bahru for dinner at night, and were on Tiong Bahru Road (perpendicular to Seng Poh Road), when we saw a guy sitting on a red chair in the middle of the road!!! Fortunately we were travelling on the extreme left lane on a 3-lane road. The insane guy was seated in the middle lane... and facing the traffic! He was dressed in blue, so it was difficult to see him. And he obviously wanted to die in an exciting manner! How many of us love the intoxication of facing oncoming traffic?
But luckily that isn't a road many speed on. Vehicles did manage to spot him in time and swerve into another lane to avoid being the unlucky scapegoat to cause the crazy fella's death and get blamed for it! (Actually, if *touchwood* something like this happens, will the driver be charged? Assuming that he is within the speed limit... But then again, he'll be tortured by the trauma of the accident and his conscience....) What an idiot right? Wanna die then just go swallow sleeping pills or something. If he chose to jump down some block or slash his wrist, people will still have to clear up the mess. If he gased himself to death, waste electricity and gas (non-renewable resource). Incosiderate fella.
Anyway, I called the police and informed them. Quite exciting... 1st time I've called 999 to report something. (The last time was when I was young. I called and hung up. Almost immediately, I received a call back and got a stern warning from the police officer.) Anyway, the policeman asked me to tell him my number, and I almost uttered the wrong number! (How often do you call yourself?!) Then he couldn't understand Seng Poh Rd!
I did return to the 'scene' to kaypoh. Instead of seeing the police there and kicking up a fuss, or people surrounding to gossip, I saw a car stopped in front of a scooter, with a silver umbrella spread open on the road behind the scooter. And some passers-by looking on. Nobody was hurt, but the scooter's license plate was crooked. THe crazy fella was standing nearby at a tree, with his red chair. I assume that the car had swerved to avoid hitting the crazy fella, and inevitably hit the scooter.
Since nothing significant happened, I resumed dinner. But when I checked my phone and returned the call to an unknown number... it turned out to be the police! They had called to verify the location again... at Outram! My goodness! How shocking can this get? Imagine you were running for your life, and you call the police to save you. But they call you and verify the place... and they are at a totally WRONG location! Oh my! Unimaginable!
What to do?
Exciting life... 2 police encounters in less than a week! Are you envious? Heh.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Nigh cycling
ODAC planned a Night Cycling, and I was half-excited, half-paranoid. Excited cos I love cycling, and to gallivant all over the place at night on my bike is just exhilarating! But paranoid cos my fitness level is like minus several degrees, and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to catch up with the youngsters... and with my fat butt, I was gonna be tortured by the skinny bike seat!
But I went anyway... I was late (refer to previous post to discover why), and I got sabo-ed to follow the first group. Sabo-ed because this first group comprised of the best-est cyclists in the club! What an honour! -snigger-
Anyway, bo-bian right? So I glupped, plucked up my courage, and acted nonchalantly as I got ready to follow them. When I started cycling, I was intoxicated! Heh. Happy I was to be on a bike again! *grin* And so all fears disappeared, as I happily cycled behind them, grinning from ear to ear with the freedom I had.
We set off from East Coast Park, down to East Coast Road... Still Road... to Ubi. Suddenly, the boy's bike in front of me went kuku, and he had to stop his bike by the side of the road, while the rest had cycled on. I stopped behind him, and instructed him to push his bike up onto the pavement to get off the road. Then we examined his bike. Goodness! It isn't the normal scenario where the chain just gets displaced. In this case, the 'thingy' which connects the chain had broke, twisted itself and got entangled in the spokes of the wheel! We were so fascinated that he whizzed out his camera and took a shot for momento! =)
I called the safety vehicle and gathered the rest of the group, and proceeded to the nearest busstop to wait. We had a rather nice time chatting! Heh. Afterward, we headed down Airport Road to Boundary Road, before reaching Serangoon Gardens to have supper at ChompChomp. Guess what? The kids locked the bikes together, and then happily went to order food. Nothing amazing about that right? But then, something happened, which freaked them out! They had misplaced the key!! What were they to do?
Kids' reactions amongst themselves...
"Call the locksmith."
"Locksmith said $100... asked us to look for other alternatives cos it's not worth it."
"I go home and cut a cutter."
"Where do you stay? Erm... quite far."
"Tell the teachers?"
"Eh don't want lah... we figure this out ourselves."
But in the end, of course they did come to the teachers for help. Damsels in distress...
They asked for the toolbox which they were supposed to pack. But those silly boys... their toolbox was really tiny! Enough to fit your palm! And obviously it didn't have anything useful! Other than a swiss army knife which they could use to saw till daylight to see results.
D suggested calling the police. He went to 7-11 to ask for the number. The attendant told him to call 999. Hahaha! But anyway, he did manage to find the police post's number, and the boys called. They agreed to come after a second try. We were jsut wondering what kind of cutter they would use... someone suggested a bush shearer. We thought it was too gigantic, and ridiculous. But to our amazement, when the policemen arrived, they produced a cutter that was about a meter tall!!! Incredible! And even then, the policeman still had to twist and turn the wire of the lock to break it afterward! (The lock is indeed secure!)
In the meanwhile, there was this hawker guy who figured what was going on. He then cheekily looked at the other hawker and said in Hokkien:
A: Eh! Mai4 sing4 liao4 lah4! Sor1 See2 hoi1 yee3! (Don't play anymore! Return him the key!)
B: -dumbfounded-
Hahaha! That was a good comic relief!
Yeah, anyway, that was an exciting experience, and it gave us a longer time to slack too, while I even got to meet up with Meowmeow! =)
We set off on our journey. This time down Ang Mo Kio, Thomson, Bishan, Bradell (long killer slope... where we took a break at a busstop and I dozed off while sitting on the kerb by the road!), Potong Pasir, Crawford, Marina, Esplanade, Kallang Park (lots of winding!!), Kallang Mac's, and back to East Coast. And all the while, we were going at breakneck speed, because they have to prove that they're the best! At some time, I grew slightly bitter because we were so much ahead of time, and I didn't understand why we needed to rush! My butt was killing me!! The worst feeling is when you took a rest, and then you had to hop onto that killer-seat once again and feel the sore! (And you had to reposition yourself in a less-sore position to ease the ache!)
Yeah, it was indeed an exciting experience. I want my own bicycle!
But I went anyway... I was late (refer to previous post to discover why), and I got sabo-ed to follow the first group. Sabo-ed because this first group comprised of the best-est cyclists in the club! What an honour! -snigger-
Anyway, bo-bian right? So I glupped, plucked up my courage, and acted nonchalantly as I got ready to follow them. When I started cycling, I was intoxicated! Heh. Happy I was to be on a bike again! *grin* And so all fears disappeared, as I happily cycled behind them, grinning from ear to ear with the freedom I had.
We set off from East Coast Park, down to East Coast Road... Still Road... to Ubi. Suddenly, the boy's bike in front of me went kuku, and he had to stop his bike by the side of the road, while the rest had cycled on. I stopped behind him, and instructed him to push his bike up onto the pavement to get off the road. Then we examined his bike. Goodness! It isn't the normal scenario where the chain just gets displaced. In this case, the 'thingy' which connects the chain had broke, twisted itself and got entangled in the spokes of the wheel! We were so fascinated that he whizzed out his camera and took a shot for momento! =)
I called the safety vehicle and gathered the rest of the group, and proceeded to the nearest busstop to wait. We had a rather nice time chatting! Heh. Afterward, we headed down Airport Road to Boundary Road, before reaching Serangoon Gardens to have supper at ChompChomp. Guess what? The kids locked the bikes together, and then happily went to order food. Nothing amazing about that right? But then, something happened, which freaked them out! They had misplaced the key!! What were they to do?
Kids' reactions amongst themselves...
"Call the locksmith."
"Locksmith said $100... asked us to look for other alternatives cos it's not worth it."
"I go home and cut a cutter."
"Where do you stay? Erm... quite far."
"Tell the teachers?"
"Eh don't want lah... we figure this out ourselves."
But in the end, of course they did come to the teachers for help. Damsels in distress...
They asked for the toolbox which they were supposed to pack. But those silly boys... their toolbox was really tiny! Enough to fit your palm! And obviously it didn't have anything useful! Other than a swiss army knife which they could use to saw till daylight to see results.
D suggested calling the police. He went to 7-11 to ask for the number. The attendant told him to call 999. Hahaha! But anyway, he did manage to find the police post's number, and the boys called. They agreed to come after a second try. We were jsut wondering what kind of cutter they would use... someone suggested a bush shearer. We thought it was too gigantic, and ridiculous. But to our amazement, when the policemen arrived, they produced a cutter that was about a meter tall!!! Incredible! And even then, the policeman still had to twist and turn the wire of the lock to break it afterward! (The lock is indeed secure!)
In the meanwhile, there was this hawker guy who figured what was going on. He then cheekily looked at the other hawker and said in Hokkien:
A: Eh! Mai4 sing4 liao4 lah4! Sor1 See2 hoi1 yee3! (Don't play anymore! Return him the key!)
B: -dumbfounded-
Hahaha! That was a good comic relief!
Yeah, anyway, that was an exciting experience, and it gave us a longer time to slack too, while I even got to meet up with Meowmeow! =)
We set off on our journey. This time down Ang Mo Kio, Thomson, Bishan, Bradell (long killer slope... where we took a break at a busstop and I dozed off while sitting on the kerb by the road!), Potong Pasir, Crawford, Marina, Esplanade, Kallang Park (lots of winding!!), Kallang Mac's, and back to East Coast. And all the while, we were going at breakneck speed, because they have to prove that they're the best! At some time, I grew slightly bitter because we were so much ahead of time, and I didn't understand why we needed to rush! My butt was killing me!! The worst feeling is when you took a rest, and then you had to hop onto that killer-seat once again and feel the sore! (And you had to reposition yourself in a less-sore position to ease the ache!)
Yeah, it was indeed an exciting experience. I want my own bicycle!
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
True or False?
Had a long day in school, which ended with a Moral Education seminar, after I was caught in the heavy heavy downpour.
Kel was quite nice, and picked me up. We ended up at his place for dinner, before I got hooked to the computer game and a snooze. During my snooze, something incredible happened. (No, I didn't transform into some butterfly to suck nectar out from some pretty flower, nor transform into some mosquito to sting those incorrigible students.)
There were urgent knocks on the main door, and Kel went to check it out. There was this dubious character (DC), claiming to be his dad's old acquaintance. He stated facts such as:
DC: I'm looking for your father.
Kel: He's not in.
DC: I know your father from very long ago... Why don't you let me in so that I can wait for him? *gasp*
Kel: No...
DC: Kelvin right? Your father is YK Lim right?
Kel: (Ponders with a very disturbed look... How come he knows my name?)
Kel: My father is not YK Lim.
.
.
.
.
.
Dubious Character goes off... but returns five minutes later. This time he brings his wife, and motions his son to the door. (Don't go off imagining that the son is some little cute boy of age 5. The 'son' is tall, dark, (not handsome apparently), big size... He takes a look and shakes his head.
DC: Catholic right? Last time in Cantoment Road... some church... I am the pastor's helper ...(Hello, Catholics don't have pastors!)
DC: Your father used o work in nightclubs right?
Kel: My father was always a policeman.
Kel hurries to call his dad to verify, and to get him to return home quick.
When his dad returned, the DC came aknockin' again. But his dad confirmed that he did not know him, and chased him away, before shutting the door tight.
So how come there were some accurate details and some incorrect details?
Kel was quite nice, and picked me up. We ended up at his place for dinner, before I got hooked to the computer game and a snooze. During my snooze, something incredible happened. (No, I didn't transform into some butterfly to suck nectar out from some pretty flower, nor transform into some mosquito to sting those incorrigible students.)
There were urgent knocks on the main door, and Kel went to check it out. There was this dubious character (DC), claiming to be his dad's old acquaintance. He stated facts such as:
DC: I'm looking for your father.
Kel: He's not in.
DC: I know your father from very long ago... Why don't you let me in so that I can wait for him? *gasp*
Kel: No...
DC: Kelvin right? Your father is YK Lim right?
Kel: (Ponders with a very disturbed look... How come he knows my name?)
Kel: My father is not YK Lim.
.
.
.
.
.
Dubious Character goes off... but returns five minutes later. This time he brings his wife, and motions his son to the door. (Don't go off imagining that the son is some little cute boy of age 5. The 'son' is tall, dark, (not handsome apparently), big size... He takes a look and shakes his head.
DC: Catholic right? Last time in Cantoment Road... some church... I am the pastor's helper ...(Hello, Catholics don't have pastors!)
DC: Your father used o work in nightclubs right?
Kel: My father was always a policeman.
Kel hurries to call his dad to verify, and to get him to return home quick.
When his dad returned, the DC came aknockin' again. But his dad confirmed that he did not know him, and chased him away, before shutting the door tight.
So how come there were some accurate details and some incorrect details?
- DC got the name correct because while we were waiting for the lift, we happened to glance at the notice board and noticed a letter sitting there. Kel took a look at it, and surprisingly, it happened to be HIS! Some lazy fella must have taken it and not bother to slot it back into the letterbox.
- Anyone can identify a Catholic home because of the crucifix on the door and when you peer into the house, you can tell easily too!
So what was the fella's motives? Hmmm, either he seriously got the wrong house... (but why was he so persistent, and still fumble over these 'facts'??) Or he belongs to some syndicate which is up to no good. Sigh.
We didn't dare to leave the house, for fear that his parents would fall for the trickster. And Kel was afraid that we would get kidnapped if we ventured out. Heh. In the end, we took a gigntic umbrella out with us for protection.
Solution: Kel suggests that if anyone encounters this, we should offer to take a photo of the person to verify. Capture his face. Say that we want to verify it. (And of course, it can also be used as evidence for 999. Heh.)
