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For some reason, Blake Edwards' musical story of "Victor/Victoria" who follows Victoria Grant, a struggling British singer looking to fulfill her dreams in 1930s Paris who agrees to play a female impersonator; a woman, pretending to be a man, pretending to be a woman, didn't appeal to me. It was way too predictable.

However, 3 things made me agree to pick up tickets for the Asian premiere:
1) Missing "Cats: The Musical" this year in April. Damn! I think this will haunt me for a long time more till "Cats" make a re-run! I haven't caught a good International Broadway Musical for a while and thought I should give myself a treat.

2) Wendy was totally hyped up about the musical. She had raved comments about how she loooooved the 1982 film starring Julie Andrews.

3) Debut of International Jazz sensation Laura Fygi who takes on the leading role in her 1st musical performance. I've been a Fygi fan for a long time.

Ticket prices were steep, but Celeste got us decent Circle 1 tickets for around SGD$80. It was nearing the tail end of the musical run and we were pleasantly surprised to have upgraded seats to centre stall! Those seats would have cost at least SGD$120! Wooohooo! I didn't even have to use my Bushnell Binos! I was later told that ticket sales were poor as reviews of the musical did not go well.

I took it as a good thing that I hadn't watch the original movie. There were less comparison to make. I taught Fygi sang decently, her voice may not be totally appropriate for her role, but it was certainly lovely. The stage was a let down and acting, dancing and directly were overall poor. Somehow, I didn't feel the music by composer Henry Mancini; of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" fame catchy. It didn't put a ring in my ears.

“Victor/Victoria” was directored by Loretta Chen and featured other international stars such as British actor Matt Grey, Jake Macapagal from the Philippines, Australian actress Nicole Stinton and Zebra Crossing artiste RJ Rosales. They were joined by Singapore’s Shane Marjuki and fashion icon Daniel Boey.



So the 2 million dollars musical didn't work for most of us. But with SGD$20, I bought a 2CD musical compilation of songs by Fygi and a personalised autograph sign by Laura Fygi HERSELF! I think I told her I was a fan since I was little and she went "Whaooo" and gave me 2 thumbs up. Hee hee!



More Laura Fygi CD Album Signature Photos

Unazukin dolls on display at the Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2009

Picked up my very own Bandai Unazukin at the Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2009. Saw them on display with a description that went "interactive dolls that shakes or nods it's head upon voice command". Just my kind of toy for SGD$9.90. Well, you have to get something fun at the AFA!!!


Unazukin box

The Unazukin looks like a small "angel" averaging 5 cms (2 inches) high. They are reminiscent of a nesting Matryoshka doll, and have a retro/popart style decoration. There are many designs on the website. Battery powered with an on/off switch, they have four different movements, shaking head back and forth once or twice; and nodding once or twice.


My Cherry Blossoms Unazukin all dressed up

This might be a shock to some - I've never attended any Anime event (at least none that I can remember) until the Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2009. After queuing for more then 30 mins with an entrance fee of SGD$15, I figured I really wasn't that into Anime... nor Japan...

I was never a Manga nor Jap cartoon kinda person. Though there are a few Jap cartoon movies I really love - "Grave of the Fireflies", "Spirited Away" and "Only Yesterday"... I liked costume parties... but I'm really not a fan of Cosplay. In fact, after this event, I've gotten a little freaked out at some totally awful character impersonation. I didn't even realise some were so scary till I looked at the photos! Nightmare!


Giving the festival some credit, there was a showcase for Gundam's 30th Anniversary. Not big with toys poorly labeled. I appreciated the details on the Gundam toys on display but did not leave the showcase feeling I have learnt anything at all about the history of the robot.


Gundam eating sushi!!!

2 photo entries, 1 nabs the 2nd price! A HTC Magic Android Smart Phone! Not bad at all!

As part of the 'I Love Museums' initiative, upload your museum related picture with a quirky caption to the 'I Love Museums' Facebook wall. HTC Phones up for grabs! Next draw in January. More details on Contest Website.


Mom's winning entry:
A little green bird reveal my fortunes at the Images of Singapore (Festivals of Singapore) Sentosa museum. Indian fortune telling, a dying trade relived in wax.


My entry:
4 extra soilders with the Malay Regiment statues in our brave fight against the Japanese troops in 1942 at the top of Bukit Chandu Opium Hill. Reflections at Bukit Chandu, Singapore.

The 4th stop on the War On Wheels Bus Tour 2009 was a visit to The Battle Box:
Nestled 9m underground within Forth Canning Park, the bunkers were an underground emergency, bomb-proof command centre constructed during the Malayan campaign and the battle of Singapore.

The bunkers were rediscovered in 1988 comprising of 22 rooms linked by a corridor, and capable of recycling its own air supply. Today the space is refurbished and converted into a tourist attraction with an air-conditioning system, special audio-visual effects and high-quality animatronics created Madam Tussaud.


Down a flight of steep steps and walking though dingy corridors you'd find no cellular signals.


The highlight of the attraction is the decision room, where the decision to surrender Singapore was taken on the morning of February 15, 1942, four days after Lt. Gen. Percival's Combined Operations Headquarters (COH) was moved here from Sime Road during the Battle of Kranji.


Scary animatronic switchboard operator plugs and unplugs switches in the switchboard room.


Morse code devices and telegrams were used as communications methods. Scribbled on the walls of these rooms are original Kempeitai Japanese soldiers' writings.


One of the most elaborate rooms and my favourite is the planning room. With a simulated military strategy table and maps pasted on the walls. This was where the British would plan sea and air operations around the Asia-Pacific area. Wall charts depict developments in other parts of the world at that time.

3rd Stop: Changi Beach - The Sook Ching Massacre


Totally transformed today, Changi Beach Park now welcomes families to enjoy the sun, sand and sea; have a BBQ, cycle or fly a kite. In fact, earlier in the year; this was part of the route for the Adidas Sundown Marathon 2009. It probably never occurred to those happy beach going souls that the grounds they're standing was once the most active and brutal shooting ground during the Japanese Occupation, where our Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew believes between 50,000 to 100,000 died. The final death toll could not be confirmed.

The massacre took place from 18 February to 4 March 1942. The term Sook Ching (肅清) means "a purge through cleansing" in Chinese and was a systematic extermination of perceived hostile elements among the Chinese in Singapore by the Japanese military.

Wealthy Chinese had been financing the Chinese National Revolutionary Army led by Chiang Kai-Shek in the Second Sino-Japanese War through a series of fund-raising propagandist events. The Japanese military authorities, led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita, decided on a policy of "eliminating" those who harboured strong anti-Japanese sentiments.


A square stamp

On boarding the bus at the Johore Battery, everyone was stamped on the hand. A square stamp. The importance of the stamp was explained to us. The Japanese Military went through a very stringent process to identify the status of every civilian. A square stamp meant you were harmless and freed from the "extermination". A triangle on the other hand meant the opposite fate. The Japanese Military were on a hunt for Chinese men with "anti-Japanese" sentiments.
- wealthy men who could contribute generously to the Chinese revolt
- Hainanese who were perceived to be communists
- men with tattoos who were perceived to be Triad members
- well educated students
- civil servants amongst others


The last view of those who lost their lives in the Sook Ching Massacre

These men with triangle stamps were marched up to Changi Beach; lined up in rows facing the sea and made to dig the sand in front of them. They were in fact digging their own graves! After the ground was dug, shots were mercilessly fired from the back. There was no escape. It was a massive burial site. In the nights, family members would carry lanterns to salvage the remains of their loved ones.

I'm gonna admit... I love Bus Tours with a theme. And I don't only mean the Halloween sort which I hopped on in 2007 and 2008, where I had the Kill Bill gang! Okay, I was kind of a sucker for school excursions.

Wendy got to know about the War On Wheels Bus Tours while working on a press conference media project for school. The inaugural tour was organised by the National Heritage Board as part of their Explore Singapore campaign. The guided tour aimed to allow participants to discover Singapore’s WWII history in a unique and experiential way. We had a choice of either 'Invasion Singapore!' which visits Kranji War Memorial, Ford Factory, Alexandra Barracks and Bukit Chandu or 'Singapore Under the Gun' which uncovers the horrors of the Japanese occupation. We decided to embark on the latter. For $15 per couple, the tour (inclusive of a pathetic veggie rice box) visit sites that are little known to the public.

Our bus ride departed punctually at 3:30pm. Wendy and I were the last to board the 40/50 seater bus at the Peranakan Museum. We had to rush to fill up an indemnity form (yes... back to the good ole school days) and barely made it.


Starting our WoW Bus Tour!

Upon boarding the bus, we were issued with our goodie bag, a garni sack material bag containing a 'I Heart Museums' Japanese occupation like cap, a 'I Heart Museums' lanyard, 2 'I Heart Museums' badges, a banana currency note (counterfeit), a WWII ration card, a program map, bun and biscuits and a bottle of mineral water. I'd have to say the items at 1st comically intriguing, helped us to better visualise our journey back to 1942.

Our 1st stop was a trip to the Changi Museum. The museum is dedicated to all those who lived and died in Singapore during the dark years of the Japanese Occupation during World War II, 1942 - 1945.

On our bus ride to the east, we envisioned ourselves as young Australian soldiers, later Prisoners-of-War (POWs) who spent the war days in this prison. We were told stories of hope and of the Changi Cross, a cross fashioned out of a spent artillery shell by Sgt. Harry Stogden, who lost his life in the prison. His only son never knew his father. Many years later, Stogden's grown son visited Singapore and the prison and was moved to tears upon seeing the cross. He shared in writing how at that moment, he felt a closeness to his father whom he never knew.


At the heart of the museum's courtyard is the Changi Chapel - a symbolic replica of simple churches and chapels built by internees as places of comfort and solace. Today, this chapel is a point of pilgrimage for veterans and families of ex-POWs.

The New Balance Real Run 2009 marked my 3rd marathon this year after the 10.5km Adidas Sundown Marathon (Team) and 21km SAFRA Singapore Bay Run. The New Balance Real Run will be my first experience to cross-terrain running on 4km of uneven dirt road trail, 0.6km on beach sand and 5.4km on taxiway. There's something about having a 'dirty good time' that appeals to me.



The trail was organised around Changi, starting at the Changi Exhibition Centre, Changi Aviation Road. 2 routes - 10km (which Dennis & I opted for) and the 15km.

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I thought cross-terrain running would be a bigger challenge, but I managed to keep consistent pacing within the 170 bmp heart rate.

I thought the Super Band (纵贯线) Singapore Concert in July was probably the rarest Mandarin Pop concert I would be attending for 2009 until I was convinced by Kenny to check out the 第15届新加坡金曲奖音乐会 2009 (15th 93.3 Singapore Hit Awards 2009). It was between dinner or a concert. I figured why not the concert. S.H.E will be performing and I've been a fan since my Karaoke days. Kenny was in support of 五月天 (Mayday). Other performances included 蔡健雅, 萧敬腾, 梁文音, 徐佳莹, 黄靖伦, 张芸京, Olivia Ong, 迷路兵, 陈伟联, 蔡艾珈, 黄智阳, 陈彼得, 邱意琳, 叶敦鸿 and 陈迪雅 (Tanya Chua). After the concert, I still have little clue who they are.



Considering that the Han Chinese are the largest single ethnic group in the world, I've never under estimated the far reaching impact of the Mandarin Pop circle. You should have seen the crowd of screaming girls (and boys) when clips of a Jay Chou's MTV came on screen. It was only a VIDEO CLIP, it garnered louder screams then performers who were live on stage!


S.H.E sweeps the Best Group Awards. Ella screws up on her lyrics in "锁住时间"

Ian Goldin: Navigating our global future

Ian Goldin shares on TED what might be the gab for humanity as globalization and technological advances bring us hurtling towards a new integrated future.


World Internet Speed Test

We live in a very different world within a span of 50 years. Korea downloads as fast as a giga bit per second, while another part of the world chuck along on a 56.6kbps modem. We are capturing more, storing more, learning more... all thanks to technology. The smart will get smarter with their ability to get access to more information.

While there is a need to ensure that no part of the world and its people are left behind in knowledge and wealth because of technology; there are much bigger concerns that lie far, far off in the future. In a thousand years, will computers still be able to understand all this information we humans worked so hard to archive? All of today's documentation - essays, articles, spreadsheets, media in general are created with today's software.

It was one of those regular Tuesdays I was getting through at the office. The usual afternoon packed with meetings and lots of emails to catch up on. It was not until I called it a day and headed for my TOB Inner Compass lesson that I realised my Braun Buffel wallet was missing! I couldn't locate the wallet back at my office and I couldn't pin point if I had dropped it or I left it on my desk. Which could have meant someone might have taken it. Loosing the wallet was horrible as all my major identification documentation were in there... not to mention about SGD$80 (or more) worth in cash. I had a little more money cause Ming refused to accept my share for dinner at the Mellben's crab feast.

Having had the experience from my Scotts' Bag Scam 3 years ago, I contacted my office's administration if they could help to check the surveillance cameras at my lift lobby of any unusual suspects and notify the cleaners to check the bins. I also returned back to my lunch venue and provided the shop owner my contact if anything was found. Then I proceeded to block my credit cards, borrowed some money to purchase a Transit Link Card and headed home to log a police report.

My loss threw me off focus. I had lost money, have no money and needed to spend money to replace my cards. It could have been an over SGD$300 lost.

Fans of Michael Jackson and music lovers worldwide had a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what could have been the entertainment concert of the decade. We had glimpses of Jackson as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning summer 2009 in London's O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June 2009, the film drew from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, and genius as he creates and perfects his final show.

With all the hype leading since Jackson's death in June 09', the "Michael Jackson's This Is It" film was highly anticipated. But more so cause it contains the last footages of Jackson. Director Kenny Ortega, presents to the audience what the concert might have been. The Jacko fan, Wendy; secured tickets for the film on the opening day of ticket sale. She was ordering tickets at Newton Circus on a laptop and specially picked Cathy Grand as it was then the only cinema offering the film in digital. Good choice as the sound was crystal clear and picture quality, brilliant. What we thought would be tickets to grab turned out to rather lukewarm in SG ticket sales. The Cathy Grand cinemas had ample empty seats on the opening weekend evening we attended. It might have been a different story over in the States and very much expected, Sony announced it will extend the limited two-week run of the docu-movie for three more weeks in US theatres, through Thanksgiving.

I'd have to admit the docu-movie wasn't quite what I expected. I had hoped to experience a lot more behind the scenes footage on how the entire act was put together. There were a couple of great scenes in:




The marching sequence of "The Don't Really Care About Us" where green screen multiplied an army of soldiers