My first entry for year 2011! It has taken me about five months to finally start my engine again!
Well, I have not forgotten about this blog, neither have I been short of topics to write since there have been quite a bit of “happenings” during this period of absence, but I was just not very sure if I should take a different approach to the content of this blog moving forward. There was also this idea about whether or not to start touching on sensitive topics which concern me and many Singaporeans etc. Well, I don’t have an answer yet but will see.
For now, for my friends, especially those who are frequent visitors of this blog, here’s an update for the last five months.
Many of you who have been following this blog would know by now that DS and I enjoy going to concerts and musicals, be it pop or classical. Since last year, for some personal reasons, we have decided to cut down on attending performances by Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). DS has given up his Friends of SSO membership. We had also given Sumi Jo’s concert with SSO on 16 May a miss, although we love her singing very much. However, there were still good concerts that we did not miss like Russell Watson’s LA VOCE (29 January), Kit Chan’s Music Journey with Singapore Chinese Orchestra (12 February), JJ Lin’s I AM concert (3 March) and 881 Musical (16 April). We are so glad that Kit is back singing again and my sister who joined us in this concert and I were moved to tears by her singing that night. My sister was in the same batch as Kit in Raffles Girls’ School.
JJ Lin’s I AM Concert @ Singapore Indoor Stadium
I hope to share some photos and video clips of JJ Lin’s concert soon. I know it has been long outstanding as I had promised a friend to do so.
This year, I have two plans on the leisure front – to read more books and to have some new “adventures” in my cooking/baking. By that, I mean trying out dishes which I have never cooked before even if it is just a simple one, or re-attempting something which I failed to do well in the past (for example, pumpkin kueh or Suan Pan Zi) or have not cooked for a long time. I think I have been on track so far. 😀
Completed reading 5 books so far – 90 Minutes in Heaven (electronic book on iPad) by Don Piper, Lee Kuan Yew – Hard Truth To Keep Singapore Going, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua, The Unfinished Battle, Islam and the Jews by Mark Gabriel and Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom.
Some of my new cooking attempts so far…
I also have a few wishes for year 2011. Two which are yet to come to pass and I am actually not sure if they will ever come true. Hopefully there will be good news in the not so long future, as I keep praying. Miracles do happen, don’t they?
One other wish is to get through the final level of Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) which I am planning to sit this December. I am trying my best to achieve this. A lot more effort is needed at this level, and I am finding it a little difficult to cope despite having a lot more time to work on it as compared to those who are working and studying at the same time. Perhaps I am just not so gifted in the language. Nevertheless, it is the learning that I have been enjoying in recent years, and it is unlikely that I will give up at this stage.
Lately, I have been kept very busy with lots of news about GE 2011 and the happenings post GE. As far as I am concerned, General Election in Singapore has never been this exciting and interesting! Thanks to all the opposition parties who have come forward to contest to made this GE so different! I must admit that in the past, I was one of those apathetic on politics since there was hardly any opportunity (or should I say being deprived of the opportunity?) to vote. This was only my second chance to vote in 19 years! A friend of mine who is 59 years old was only voting for the first time in his life! I was so thrilled to find out on Nomination Day that except residents of Tanjong Pagar GRC, the rest of Singaporeans would have a chance to vote! I value this rare opportunity and knew that I had to vote responsibly. So I did my “homework” and even discussed my thoughts with DS. 😀 We attended a rally by Workers Party at the Bedok Stadium and were very heartened to see the huge turn-up that packed the stadium even up to the entrance area. Rallies by opposition parties seemed extremely popular this time. We wanted to hear what the opposition had to say and offer in order to make an objective decision when we went to the polls. In fact, we did the same many years ago as first-time voters. It is certainly interesting to see how the political situation in Singapore has changed over the years, and I can only imagine future GE to get even more exciting and interesting! I am already looking forward to my next vote!
Workers Party’s Rally at Bedok Stadium @ 30 April 2011
QING Moments 