"Seasons In The Sun - GoodBye To You My Trusted Friend" & "I Have A Dream" (Updated)

One More Stumping Question And The Sole Correct Answer Provided
Oh yes before I forget.

Another stumping question extracted from this assessment paper courtesy of our education publishing house.

Q: They ........... Lee as a mentor to them
Choices: look upon, look to.....
A: Look upon

To me, both are acceptable. If there is another choice like "look up to" (meaning respect), this would also figure favourably as an acceptable answer.

Poignant And Meaningful Lyrics, Beautiful Melody And It All Just Came Pouring Back
All of a sudden the lyrics of this song by Terry Jacks in the 70s sprang to my mind. This song was copied from a Belgian singer and Westlife revived it in 1999/2000. In fact Westlife also reprised another song made famous by the Swedish group ABBA, "I Have A Dream".

I have presented both songs' lyrics here.

Maybe because two hot gorgeous RI boys sat right across from me on the MRT just a couple of hours ago and that triggered the memory of this song.

One was fair and beautiful and he was clutching a silver trophy he had won for some sports competition while his sun-kissed muscled friend sitting next to him had won the gold.

I think they are good friends and I enjoyed watching both of them share a moment or two of a relational intimacy between themselves.

In part I dedicate this to Francis Wee, my ex-classmate who had died last month under mysterious circumstances. I can only guess at what had happened but I refuse to speculate other than it was un-natural death.

Though we were not extremely close (yes we climbed Mt Ophir together, had a common friend in a gay seminarian and Patrick Ee was another mutual gay friend) and I was annoyed Francis didn't really respond when I bumped into him agan while on a teaching assignment at Wicked StepMother's and Daryl Chan's, nonethless we did hang out for a while.

I didnt attend his funeral wake. I was too besotted with problems myself and tired out, I guess.

I thought I should share the lyrics with you and leave the interpretation open.

Seasons In The Sun Lyrics

Goodbye to you my trusted friend
We've known each other since we were nine or ten
Together we've climbed hills and trees
Learned of love and ABC's
Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees

Goodbye my friend it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that spring is in the air
Pretty girls are everywhere
Think of me and I'll be there
We had joy, we had fun we had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed
Were just seasons out of time

Goodbye Papa please pray for me
I was the black sheep of the family
You tried to teach me right from wrong
Too much wine and too much song
Wonder how I got along

Goodbye Papa it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
Little children everywhere
When you see them, I'll be there
We had joy, we had fun We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons have all gone

We had joy, we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons have all gone

Goodbye Francis my little one
You gave me love and helped me find the sun
And every time that I was down
You would always come around
And get my feet back on the ground

Goodbye Francis it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
With the flowers everywhere
I wish that we could both be there

I Have A Dream

I have a dream, a song to sing

To help me cope with anything

If you see the wonder of a fairy tale

You can take the future even if you fail

I believe in angels

Something good in everything I see

I believe in angels

When I know the time is right for me

Ill cross the stream - I have a dream

I have a dream, a fantasy

To help me through reality

And my destination makes it worth the while

Pushing through the darkness still another mile

I believe in angels

Something good in everything I see

I believe in angels

When I know the time is right for me

Ill cross the stream - I have a dream

Ill cross the stream - I have a dream

Real Education For A Real World (Updated Updates)

Bonkity Bonkers
I am glad my recent shopping and window-shopping spree have not been in vain.

It is the only thing I have got, by the way, in lieu of all the recent traumatic events that had happened.

The financial crisis, all my losses, all the psychopathologies, living conditions, the various personalities I meet and the nonsensities they spout.

Chew On This
I mean what is the point of dwelling on psychopathologies and labelling someone as such. Is it gonna help him in any way?

That is the thing about friends (or is it fiends) too isn't it? Gay or otherwise. We sit together, eat, watch a movie or a soccer match, talk no end but what is that gonna lead?

Am I gonna recoup my financial losses? Get back my home? A job? Anything?

Positive Psychology - Love, Art (And Here It Can Mean Designer Or Luxury Brands), Beauty, Sports, Health, Food,The Works
I am kinda practising positive psychology now.

Appeciating beautiful objects like young Asian Chinese (here it embraces Koreans and Japanese)and Western men (and boys), art, luxury brand apparels and leathergoods and laying my hands on whatever new knowledge that I can .

To work off all those negativities, I am running and walking and boy, is it therapeutic and mind-engaging!

The Latest Cigarette/Cigar Lighter Technology
For one, cigarette/cigar lighter technology has advanced to the stage that there is no need for a flame and it is completely smokeless. Much like smokeless tobacco.

That means being environmentally friendly with none of the pollutant and contaminant that is soot. Designer brands seem to have gone miles ahead here while luxury brands are in a lull.

The new technology does put across a science concept of the bunsen burner more clearly than what my teachers have ever done in school.

And yes the Pickens Power Play Plan is certainly at work here. Gaseous fuels is always friendlier than liquid fuels and clean energy is the way to go forward.

What's more the bigger issue of the needless transfer of wealth especially to your nemeses. In fact this concept should be extended and studied more thoroughly and applied to other equally disturbing "transfer of wealth" issues. All countries please take note!

I am fully behind you Sir! May you be that old world force I need to get back on my feet like in the movie "Transformers - Revenge Of The Fallen"

Newest Pen Technology?
Again designer brands reign. It is amazing enough that they have an all-in-one pen. Rollerballs, ballpoints, fountain and mechanical pencils. Others claim to function as styluses, highlighters (I was told about this but wasn't shown any) and one luxury brand even has a USB device attached.

Now the consumer has to decide which is a more worthwhile proposition - a singular function pen or a multi-purpose one. Plus the fact that the price for each pen may just add up to equal the price of a all-rolled-into-one pen.

And if twist or click versus cap and uncap would help in cases of ink leakages.

You will be surprised that in both the above cases, the sales staff may not know any better and try to get away with it.

Where Have All The MensWear Gone? (Peter Seeger's Song "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?")
The women are having a ball here. What with multi, strictly Amiga only brands and multi-assorted new designs and colors.

Poor amigos like us are stuck with black, chocolate, grey or white (especially the underwear section) for color choices and the few deemed classic designs for men. Not to mention that menswear are MIA for some luxury brands here.

Liz Claiborne would be yet another example and all the while I thought it was strictly only womenswear.

Hijacking What Was Traditonally A Male Symbol NeckWear
The Romas have even hijacked our Boy Scouts' neckerchief and claim it as their very own fashion neckwear! Shame on you if that has left us empty-handed!


So What If I Turn A Sweater Wear Inside Out Or Upside Down Especially Here In The Tropics

And who cares if here in the tropics, I turn a sweater (at least to the Americans, that is what they call it just like a handkerchief is called a pocket square) into a daytime wear minus the apparel inside. Just as long as it isn't too knitted-looking or see-through or thick wooly woollen.

Finally A Little Male Fashion Wear Reprieve And Concession

Thank god, Mango has just recently started its Homini Emerito line at a local department store.

By "local" I mean sited here in Singapore and not of local origins - in fact, this store is Japanese.

Which brings me to my point of how we should reconcile the two, like a foreign domestic maid, oxymoronic as it sounds or should I then re-phrase it as a local foreign department store.

Are we poor Amico souls having a bad deal? Like we aren't already in other respects?

Who Says The Social Sciences Is An Inferior Science When Compared To The Hard Sciences Or Maths?
The social sciences especially languages or business is a dynamic discipline that cannot be like the Maths or the Sciences where it is neatly right or wrong.

Higher Maths like Calculus is highly abstract and probably good for building mental agility, speed and aspiring to lofty but purely academic mathematical pursuits.

But in the long run, the social sciences is more "application and hands-on" much like Information Technology, a hard science.

I just realised that about myself. The books I read are usually of this kind. Software application packages, psychology, financial investment, fashion, sports and gym-training.

A Condensed Comprehension Passage And Graphic-Stimulus Passage (Extracted From A Text Published By Our Local Foreign? Education Publishing House) For A Primary Fiver Just Boggles
Read these condensed materials, the questions asked about them , the sole model answer provided in each case and let me know what you think.

By the way the whole action happened underwater in a bayou for the comprehension passage.

Is A Scenario Like This Possible? Is There Only One Correct Answer Or Are There Other Possibilities?

".......... The rescuer got hold of a knife and tried to cut through the nylon strap but it was futile......the baby rescued was hanging like a limp blue doll.......rescuers tried resuscitation.....and just as the medical staff were about to give up......it was miraculously revived........"

Q: "Why do you think the rescuer couldn't cut through the nylon strap?"
A: "The knife was blunt"

Here Goes Other Possibilities
What about another possibility that the underwater pressure and current was just too overwhelming (*yes, quit staring at me again, this in fact employs science to answer the question).

Or that the rescuer was feeling tired, weak and effeminate at that point in time.

Or the nylon was just too tough or that the knife was too small or the rescuer was diminutive in size?

Another Stumping Question
Q; "Quote the phrase to show that the baby's revival was a miracle"
A: "Like a limp blue doll"

And Another Possible Answer?
How about "medical staff were about to give up"?

We know that since a phrase is needed, "miraculously" is most probably out.

Is This Testing English Language Proficiency In The First Place? Or Is It A General Knowledge/Geography Question And How Is "Region" Defined Anyway Especially In This Case - Asia Pacific Region?

".......Stand to win attractive prizes like a trip to the region........."

Q: "Where will prize-winners get to go away to?"
Choices: "Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia"
Answer: "Indonesia"

This Would Be The Purview Of The Education Ministry And The Educators
And please, don't give me that dirty look. I am not responsible. The educators are. The publishers are. The ministry is. They should have highlighted this, asked and debated on this and put things right.

A bigger question is: will such questions be set and if so, will the ministry accept other possibilities or JUST ONE "RIGHT" ANSWER or at least what they deem to be "RIGHT".

Should publishers screw our students even more with this kinda publication?

One Last Comment About My Program Of Study
My last module was taught by a certain Laurence. He wasn't too bad. The Egan's Model he espouses wasn't too bad either in that it provided a structure and framework for counsellors to work with.

Except that application is quite another thing. I deem the skills set too much of a questioning skills set, including asking miracle questions.

Apart from my blog about the materials, I do have some issues with the personalities of the lecturers and some of the things they said. Would I entrust my life and my mind to these people? I would think real hard I guess.

I would rate my lecturers from BEST to WORST thus:

*Karen, Reena, Laurence, Henry, Richard & finally the one who takes the cake.....Chris..TADA!*

At Whose Convenience? Yours Or Mine?
Our transport operators termed it a "convenience fee". I am referring to the CEPAS-linked Giro Reload EZ card which charges $0.25 for every auto top-up.

At whose convenience, I might like to know.

Is it convenient for us, the citizens? Who do we have for travelling companions? Foreign workers of all kinds and sometimes in their working clothes. Loud chatters. A babel of tongues. All kinds of habits.

What use is it to clean and spruce up, modernise and build some of our public amenities and housing to be spanking new architectural marvels? Who patronises them and what happens?

Do citizens get any better in terms of ridership privileges?

I Should Have Been Him And His Job Mine
I came across new Chinese citizens in our midst. They started schools in 2002. Why couldn't I? Because I didn't agree with the fire-safety rules. Then came the licensing agreement. After which a constituency surgery bungle ensued.

And what of Ben? He has been here since his primary school days and yet he is only a PR? Why isn't he committed? Seems like he is here only for the taking. To kill two birds with one stone? Or is he trying to escape NS liabilities, so an older age like 40 would be a better time when liabilities end.

Is this fair? Bigger question is has he made a BIG difference? I don't think so. I don't see it. If he has, it is only to be seen and a political move. No real impact. No real difference.

What he does is actually my job. He took it away from me. Plus he has the advantage of the patronage of his well-to-do father.

At whose convenience again, may I ask.

The Cathay Gallery, Exaggerated Devastation, Fund-Raising, Of Uomos And Hommes Particularly Asians & A Repeat To Remind The Hearing-Impaired (Newest)

The Cathay Gallery
Everyone should, if they can, take a peek inside the museum housed at The Cathay building.

It traces cinematography in general, its own filmographic rising in Asia, particularly SEA, while chronicling the life and times of Loke Yew, his fourth wife Lim Kim Cheng, his descendants especially the couple's only son Dato Loke Wan Tho.

The short clip of the tragic plane-crash in Taiwan which killed Dato Loke Wan Tho, his wife Mavis and his top management people in the movie industry must certainly ring a a heart-felt note of sadness and loss even among us who don't know him personally.

All I can gather is that Dato Loke Wan Tho was an adventurer, a traveler, an expeditionist, a naturalist, an intellectual cum academician, an entrepreneur, a sportsman, an arts, culture and movie buff whose myriad of interests brought him halfway around the globe.

Someone who built up international relations with whomever he meets. Among them, American luminaries like Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, William Holden and mother of local celebrity, Anita Sarawak, Siput Sarawak.

From cinema seats and movie-screening equipment to admission tickets of old, this museum holds a place in our hearts for the benefit of posterity.

There were old movie clips of Malay folktales like "Pontianak", "Hang Tuah/Jebat", "Orang Minyak (Oily Man)" and the rest. Movies which I have watched when I was a kid.

Everyone should visit if not for a glimpse of cinematic history then perhaps a slice of genealogy and personal history of a GREAT MAN of his times.

3 Days In China But In Singapore, It Takes At Least Two Years Or More
The Chinese has a saying that it takes three days to build a house in their home country.

When I see pictures of the devastation wrought about by typhoons or quakes in the various regions recently, I could see the kinda simple structure and the low rises and the very low-rises they were made of and I am pretty sure they can be rebuilt doubly quick and cheaply too.

Not so in Singapore as we all know how our construction industry works, especially in the public housing sector, being high rises that they are.

Therefore I think there could be more exaggeration than there is fact in the various disaster reports.

Dear Gal, Why Don't You Sell Your LV HandBag Or Home Before Even Asking Another To Raise Funds For The Poor And The Disaster-Stricken Victims Overseas
As I sat eating at the Japanese foodmall, I couldn't help noticing different cliques of people dining at the other tables.

After they have finished and were dispersing, a young lady walked up to me and asked to sit down to chat with me.

It turns out she was soliciting funds for a NGO in Cambodia which coincidentally was affiliated to the orphanage I know.

Hey, what about soliciting funds for me? I have lost my everything and I am at my wit's end (because nothing is working out for me at the moment). Especially like how I am gonna claw back my losses, recoup them and get me my own home and higher education.

The young ladies were well-dressed. Just like the other girls and boys you see on the streets and in our education instituitions, some are even togged out in luxury-branded high-fashion and accessories (one was carrying a LV handbag).

How paradoxical!

Where Are The Hommes And Uomos For Some Of The Luxury Brands Here Like Fendi and Loewe?
Menswear sales is outstripping womenswear worldwide.

But why is it not happening here in Singapore? Especially the luxury brands?

And Fendi, Loewe, Versace, Bottega Veneta, Salvatore Ferragamo, Yves Saint Laurent, Bally Givenchy, Valentino (plus many more) do not have a a "homme" or "uomo" presence here be it ready-wear, bespoke, haute couture or accessories.

At best they feature a very limited range of their products. For example, accessories and some outer-wear but not the ready-to-wear in the case of Salvatore Ferragamo, Bally and Bottega Veneta.

Or a complete non-presence here at all especially apparels. Fendi and Loewe for instances.

Seasonal Changes In Tropical South East Asia?
And the four seasons compressed into a period of six months for F/W and S/S each just cannot apply here in tropical Singapore or for that matter South East Asia or anywhere else where the climate is ruled by the equator all year round.

The year's seasons should be divided into quarters with three of that set aside for spring/summer in this part of the world.

Boutique, Concept Stores & Certainly Location Especially In The Heart Of Orchard Road Is Important

And we appreciate and prefer more boutique or concept stores kinda thingy. Not department stores where just too many brands and apparels are lumped together, crying out for our attention.

Usually they don't get the full attention they deserve. Pierre Cardin & Balmain for example.

Or simply ONE brand carrying its everything in its OWN BOUTIQUE STORE! Custom-fits, ready-wears, eyewears, leathergoods, accessories, neckwears, fragrances, timepieces, whatever.

No point putting all those beautiful, masterful pieces of art in the far corner or a quiet end of Orchard Road where human traffic is S-L-O-W? Simply because it ain't happening at this end and there is NO sheltered or covered LINK from central Orchard to HERE, transportational or otherwise! Imagine if it rains.

So why are HOMBREs kinda missing out when the women are already having a ball here with the likes of Herve Leger, Chanel, Kate Spade, Chloe, BCBGMaxAzria, Miu Miu, Max Mara, Diane Von Furstenberg and the rest.....

These are strictly FEMME, ELLE and DONNAs' wear with none of their ROMO counterparts in sight.

Don't forget book-stores, fine dining cafes, flower-shops and confectioneries in the case of Armani and you get the picture how our retail scene here is getting boring and lifeless.

This certainly calls for a RADICAL and REVOLUTIONARY change in the way we think and map out the retail fashion, dining and lifestyle scene here.

And Asian-Sized Modifications
From spectacle frames to vertical hand-carry bags to fashion apparel.

In terms of nose-bridges, height, body built, foot-sizes and facial features, we need bodily modifications in some respects.

More Chinese Themes, Features And Designs For Casuals, FormalWear And In-Betweens, Priced Cheaper And Catering To A Mid-To-Younger Generation
I feel sad too that a Chinese luxury brand hasn't got more going for its line of casuals or formal wear or a off-shoot for a mid to younger generation or a cheaper second-line featuring more Chinese themes, designs and motifs.

Rebranded Brands
Add more rebranded brands now featuring at our local shopping gallery. For one, Prologue and UrbanWrite (aka as Popular)

Unfair Advantages In Education? Or Is It Cheating?

I hope that my school has better sense in ensuring that earlier intakes of students who have sat for the exams or done the assignments do not pass on this sensitive information to the people they introduce to the school in later batches.

My school can do this by consistently revising the assignment and exam questions so that no two intakes' papers look the same. The situation is made worse when batches come back-to-back with just a couple of months separating them. Not a year or more.

It does seem like many of the students have family, relatives and friends in the school and ethnic community ties sometimes do rule. Money speaks even louder I suppose. What more pally-pally relations with the administrators or academia.

This would constitute unfair advantages tantamount to cheating and in education that would make it a total sham.

Why Is It So Hard To Get Through To You? Are You Hard Of Hearing?
I feel I must repeat this ONCE MORE, for the benefit of the hearing-impaired and the fucktards.
I have very clear concrete goals and I know what I want. What I need for them to materialise is MONEY.....

These goals include, but are not limited to, working within the education industry and preferably higher education. And working with a majority of Asian Chinese youths. Not like the class for the program of study I undertook.

So please, do not plant BLIMPS, BIMBS and WIMPS everywhere I go. And stop putting all those ethnic, third world foreigners, the intellectually-impaired or old fucktards in my face or near me. Stop harassing me! Like the phone call I got from an ethnic just a day or two ago. JUST FUCK OFF!

And these same ethnic hooligans have earned enough on their sales commission on me during my various retail purchases recently. Invariably they were the ones who always snuggle up to me, smelling a potential buyer.

But I assure you they will need loads more in return in the future because SOMETHING IS GONNA BEFALL them.

I will not be a spokesman for any of them.

I will NOT BE signing up for ANY political party, the incumbent or otherwise. I will not be made the POSTER BOY for the opposition camp like the two we have for parliamentarians.

Putting me here among them is just gonna breed lots of resentment and hostility. It is best we keep our distance and just work or play together when we need to.

SINGAPOREANS are NEVER worth speaking up for and they are NEVER worth fighting for.

Get this into your THICK HEADS, motherfuckers!