1 Out of 7 Billion
The world is getting smaller everyday but a lifetime is not enough to explore it. My adventure starts in Singapore.
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You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys
I wanted to have a “personal” theme song going into 2012 so I sought help from my friend MJ Kuok to create one.
MJ is a talented musician. He has been writing songs as early as 13 years old and has come up with a number of tracks since then. He also took part in Singapore Idol a few years ago and made it to the Top 12.
The end to end process took roughly 2 weeks — from speaking with him on key messages until the final output which is what you are about to hear. As he is based in HK, we had to communicate virtually until he visited Singapore recently.
MJ has done a brilliant work (both lyrics and arrangement) so I am thankful that he has shared his passion for music with me though this original song “All We Are”.
If you like it, you are welcome to download the track for free (link at the end).
In the mean time, here’s MJ performing the track. Hope you find it as meaningful as I did. Have an awesome 2012!
All We Are
Music & Lyrics by MJ Kuok
Verse 1
Here we are in this moment
Fading by so fast
As we look to the future
Let’s try to make this last
Pre-Chorus
With all we are (x2)
Through times of change
May our faith remain
Chorus
Strong for certain
Love for sure
We’ll be the best of who we are
Until forever
When the lights are blinding
And you try to find your way
Head up, hold on
This life is meant for living
Verse 2
Now’s the time
We celebrate life
Through everything we’ve done
And everything we’ll try
We’ll stay true to who we are
To our friends and the ones we love
For sticking by when times were tough
Thank you for all that you are
Pre-Chorus
Who we are (x2)
Head up, hold on
Stay strong, carry on
Chorus
We’re strong for certain
We’ll love for sure
We’ll be the best of who we are
Until forever
When the lights are blinding
And you try to find your way
Head up, hold on
This life is meant for living
Outro
Forevermore (x4)
Download the MP3 here for free :
MJ’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/mjkuok
Jacky Cheung performed in Singapore a few months ago and I’m lucky to have caught the show with Eugene and Veria.
Prior to this show, the only Jacky Cheung song I knew was “In Love with You”, a duet with Regine Velasquez from the Philippines.
The show was awesome — from the stage effects to the way the songs were delivered. He sang for roughly 3 hours and the audience felt extremely satisfied ; there wasn’t any encore performance request.
I’ve caught several Mandarin/Canto concerts before but this by far is the best one. I will try to learn a Jacky Cheung song for KTV over the next 6 months.
Here are several photos:
I always thought tickets to Jay Chou’s concert would sell faster than any other Asian artist’s show here in Singapore. I was wrong.
When tickets to the “Super Junior Super Show” in Singapore opened to the public last year (initially to OCBC credit card holders and Singtel subscribers, if I recall correctly), the SISTIC website was down and people had to queue at the SISTIC outlets all around Singapore to book seats.
There was only one show scheduled initially and I was extremely disappointed to have waited long (5 hours!) only to go home empty-handed. My sister really wanted to catch this show with me, Jomike, and 1 more friend (whom we have not selected yet then). Luckily another show was set up so I managed to get 4 tickets easier than expected.
Who is Super Junior (SuJu) anyway?
My instant answer would always be : “They’re the Korean boy band that sang “Sorry, Sorry” .
Here’s a video of them performing it (4 mins)
More info about the group:
On with the concert…
The stage
The biggest I’ve seen so far set up inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Allows maximum movement (includes running and jumping) to cover all areas.
Photos
10 members… who’s the best singer?
For me, it would be Kyuhyun. High, solid vocal range. Delivered high notes effortlessly. Don’t think his being an ex-math whiz helped at all.
See him perform “In My Dream” , a track from SuJu’s latest album, during their Beijing concert.
Had fun on an afternoon when I’m supposed to be already experiencing Monday blues. Btw, we had Korean food for dinner just to keep the momentum.
It just seemed like yesterday when I was going around the house to chase away the evil spirits of 2009 and usher in 2010.
I can’t believe the year is about to end.
As each year brings its unique sense of joy and disappointment (based on my experience), I thought I’d recap what I think made this year worth remembering. There are many more runners-up to this list but I need to keep it short and sweet.
In random order:
1) Got an iPhone
Yes, I joined the bandwagon and very happy I did. And I’m also glad I’m not addicted to it and I have remained very sociable!
2) Joined Twitter
Julu “sold” the idea of joining this social network site to me earlier in the year. Switching to iPhone made sending tweets easier.
3) Travel
3 Countries, 4 Trips
Manila, Philippines – to attend Jak & Jolina’s wedding and catch up with family and friends
Hong Kong, SAR – 2x

May 2010 with my sister -- Last time my sister went to HK was in 1988. She wanted Barbie dolls then. Now it's H&M.
Shanghai, China – Business trip but managed to catch up with Daryl over dinner on National Day.
4) Church
Sang the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st time — Was nervous but my choirmates were very supportive.
Volunteered as a part-time facilitator in the parish kids’ camp
It’s been ages since I was involved in an activity for kids (I did a bit of volunteer work in early 2009 for kids with learning development needs). It’s great to see and feel the energy and enthusiasm of children — I felt younger at least for one day! Thanks Ben & Eve for inviting me to participate.
Helped organise my choir’s National Day celebration — Everyone had fun (adults & kids alike). My first National Day-related party / gathering.
5) Concerts
James Ingram
Show Luo – 3D concert
Jay Chou
6) Family & Home
Auleine’s timely graduation from her “Early Childhood Development” course — Now she is Teacher Ollie to a few (almost) 2-year old kids! Congratulations!
Sophie’s 1st birthday and dog training several months after
Celebrated Thanksgiving for the 1st time — Yes, we have a lot to be thankful for year in, year out but this is officially our first family Thanksgiving party. We’d like to set this as an additional family tradition every year.
7) Gastronomic adventures around Singapore
Food trips during weekends — Truly the best time to try new places and gain some calories. This collage doesn’t do justice at all.
Horlicks McFlurry — The best thing that ever happened to McFlurry. McDonald’s people, please bring this back in 2011!
Brunch 78 — 78-meter spread of delights on a Sunday afternoon with free-flowing champagne. Went 2x. Thanks Tina for introducing this fantastic event to me.
8 ) Singapore : Home Truly
Integrated Resorts — I had no direct involvement with their construction nor opening but Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa opening their doors to the public is definitely a boost for Singapore tourism. I went to Marina Bay Sands SkyPark 2-3x this year!
53A — Discovered the band during my rounds and they’re brilliant artists. Will continue to support local talent!

With Sara, Alvin, and Bani -- Taken during one of their roadshows to promote their 1st album "Settle the Kettle"
Moved to a new office (same company) – From 4 locations, we are merged into one office site. Modern facilities and conducive for agile working. Most importantly, closer to home (a few bus stops away).

I tried walking home during the first few weeks (10-minutes). I eventually decided to take the bus home instead and save time. Heh.
Opening of the Circle Line — Well, “half-circle” but this promises to be big by 2011. This is the first MRT line I’ve seen open since I moved to Singapore 4.5 years ago.
Hope your 2010 was memorable too!
I first caught the performance of 53A when I hosted a gathering at CM-PB over at Dempsey Road. It was not the full band that performed that Saturday night (minus Sara Wee, female lead singer) but they played awesome music. Most of the songs sounded familiar even if I didn’t quickly remember the title.
So when I learned from Alvin (Khoo), guitarist/singer, that the full band performs at a more upbeat tempo at Timbre Substation, I decided to drop by. Since then, I try to pass by Timbre whenever I am not too busy on a Friday night. Good way to end the work week in an atmosphere of relatively younger people and of course, superb live entertainment (you may or may not know I love watching live bands).
All I can say is — there is a lot of promising local talent in Singapore and 53A is definitely one of them.
Why do I say that? Watch these.
Viva La Vida (Coldplay cover) – performed at the Waterfront stage at the Esplanade
Pokerface (Lady Gaga cover) – performed at the Waterfront stage at the Esplanade
Their talent however is not only limited to doing covers.
They recently launched their first-ever album, “Settle the Kettle“. Great combination of acoustic and pop rock original tracks (not sure if I cited the correct music genres but guess you know what I mean!).
My favorite track in the album is “We Should Be Together” (original composition)
Meet 53A :
Sara Wee (lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitars)
Alvin Khoo (lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars)
Bani Hidir (lead and backing vocals, bass guitars)
Irwan Wiss (backing vocals, drums and all percussions)
If you don’t have time to catch them in their regular gigs, they will be touring around 50 Starbucks outlets in Singapore to perform for 30 minutes (covers and original tracks).
Alvin introduced me to Bani and Sara when my family and I saw them at Starbucks last weekend.
“Settle the Kettle” is available at all Starbucks outlets islandwide. In due course, the album will be available in record stores in Singapore.
53A performs at the following venues : Timbre, Tab, CM-PB. Check website of these bars for specific schedule.
I decided to stay home on Saturday night to catch the opening ceremonies of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) hosted by Singapore.
The Youth Olympics will feature 3,600 athletes aged between 14 and 18 years competing in 200 events across 26 sports. The concept is a dream of International Olympic Committee, president Jacques Rogge, who has advocated the idea since 2001 after winning the IOC presidency.
The story behind the Opening Ceremony illustrates the parallels between Singapore and the Young Olympians – their struggles, hopes and dreams. The show celebrates Singapore’s origins and diversity, and offers a glimpse of the nation’s hopes for the future, drawing on all that Singapore has to offer in terms of art, culture and expertise.
The creative director for both opening & closing ceremonies is theatre director, actor and playwright Ivan Heng, while Cultural Medallion recipient Iskandar Ismail will be in charge of sound and music.
My view of the opening ceremonies? Impressive display of colors and creative use of fire and water. More importantly, it was a great showcase of Singapore’s capability as a modern nation to host an international event of this magnitude.
There are specific aspects of the show that I particularly liked :
Note: Unless otherwise stated, all photos posted courtesy of the Youth Olympic Games website and Singapore Youth Olympic Games photostream in Flickr
1) The use of a reflecting pool (90.5m by 50.1m in length)
2) The use of multimedia and special effects to enhance storytelling
3) “Walking/running on water effect” before the Olympic flame was lit by Singapore teenage sailor Darren Choy
Darren Choy – 2009 Byte CII sailing world champion and gold-medallist at last year’s Asian Youth Games, 2007 South-east Asian Games silver-medallist. His role as final torch bearer was a tightly guarded secret. He even had to rehearse at midnight wearing a cap the weekend before the event.
4) Spiral Olympic flame in a 32 meter cylinder / lighthouse structure which represents Singapore as a port city
Other photos from the Opening Ceremonies

Basic info on YOG which I picked up from The Straits Times (14 August 2010, page A16)
Other info on the YOG:

Lyo, a lion cub, embodies the values of Excellence and Friendship, while Merly, a merlion, personifies the values of Excellence and Respect.
Theme song (“Everyone”, sung by Sean Kingston, Tabitha Nauser, Steve Appleton, Jody Williams, Jessica Mauboy)
I’ve discovered a lot of good songs through Krisworld, the in-flight entertainment of Singapore Airlines. Here are two of them.
Let’s start with the slow, emo one…
“Temporary Home” (Carrie Underwood)
Little boy, 6 years old
A little too used to bein’ alone.
Another new mom and dad,another school,
Another house that’ll never be home.
When people ask him how he likes this place…
He looks up and says, with a smile upon his face,
“This is my temporary home
It’s not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I’m passin’ through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I’m going.
I’m not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home.”
Young mom on her own.
She needs a little help, got nowhere to go.
She’s lookin’ for a job, lookin’ for a way out,
Because a half-way house will never be a home.
At night she whispers to her baby girl,
“Someday we’ll find our place here in this world.”
“This is our temporary home.
It’s not where we belong.
Windows and rooms that we’re passin’ through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where we’re going.
I’m not afraid because I know this is our
Temporary Home.”
Old man, hospital bed,
The room is filled with people he loves.
And he whispers don’t cry for me,
I’ll see you all someday.
He looks up and says, “I can see God’s face.”
“This is my temporary Home
It’s not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I’m passin’ through.
This was just a stop,on the way to where I’m going.
I’m not afraid because I know… this was
My temporary home.”
This is our temporary home.
Now here’s the track that can make you feel like jogging around the plane … You must really listen to it!
“Won’t Go Quietly” (Example)
I needed more than just a kiss goodnight
Had to go get something out my system I
Ignored the warnings, bit the fruit
She might have tasted good
But man she was my kryptonite
Shoulda known she was trouble from the start
I, knew she’d broken hearts I,
Thought I’d take that chance
Danced with the she devil in the pale moonlight
Alarm bells rang, but I loved the drama
In a dark place but I loved the karma sutra
Shoulda closed that door
But I kept going back for more
She’s electric, she’s the current running through my veins
She’s a siren, hearing voices that I can’t explain
Now I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
I Should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here but she won’t go quietly
I needed more than just a cheap thrill ride
See I needed something that ran deep inside
Ignored the warnings, bit the fruit
She might have tasted good
But man she was my kryptonite
Shoulda known it wouldn’t last for a year I,
Knew it’d all end it tears I,
Cracked, she was mind addictive, never felt scripted
Upredicatable, tied up, but no strings attatched
Left scratch marks on my back
Her cold eyes got me excited and I can’t hide the truth
She’s electric, she’s the current running through my veins
(I just can’t kick the habit x2)
She’s a siren, hearing voices that I can’t explain
(I just can’t kick the habit)
Now I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case, another case, another case
Another case, another case…
She’s electric, she’s the current running through my veins
(I just can’t kick the habit x2)
She’s a siren, hearing voices that I can’t explain
(I just can’t kick the habit)
Now I, should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
I should be thinking it over
Instead I’m calling her over
Now she’s here and she won’t go quietly
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die
Can’t see the end of this or who survives
It’s just another case of do or die
I knew nothing about Mandarin pop when I moved to Singapore. The first Mandarin song I heard was “An Jing” (Silence) by Jay Chou in early 2007. Since then I got hooked not just on his work but also on Mando pop in general. Soon after, I found myself enjoying Canto pop too. All these without knowing how to speak/read Mandarin nor Cantonese!!
Here’s a clip of “An Jing” so you have an idea. It’s a stylized version of the original, performed in a HK concert in 2006.
I guess that’s how it is for people who love music. It doesn’t matter what language a song is expressed in. To me, what I like about Chinese pop is the way it’s sung — a lot of passion and emotion. If you go to KTV, the music videos are also awesome. Make the rhythm faster and the choreography also looks great.
Here’s Elva Hsiao performing “Biao Bai” (Confession) :
Some people find it strange that I spend money buying C-pop albums and tickets for concerts. I must tell you – I have no regrets forking out a few hundred dollars on these sort of stuff. I think it’s the same as listening to French, Spanish, or Latin music — you like it even if most of the time you have no clue what’s being sung!!
I’ve seen a few Chinese concerts and this is the 2nd time I’ve seen Jay Chou perform live (in Singapore). I’d say the Jan 2008 concert was better in terms of song selection and production, including the opening (it was also fairly easy to get tickets then). However, there were visual effects in the 2010 world tour that are quite fascinating. You will know what I mean when you see the photos.
I almost didn’t get to watch this concert. OCBC cardholders were given priority during ticket sales and I didn’t have an OCBC card. When the SISTIC website opened purchase to the general public, the website could not handle the volume and the queues were long for those who braved the “manual” approach. Tickets were sold out minutes after they went on sale. It was really frustrating that I had to post my disappointment as a Facebook status update.
When I was about to lose hope in securing at least 2 tickets, Marvin forwarded to me a message from a colleague who was selling his tickets after having purchased seats in a better section. A few days after, I found myself owning 2 tickets — 2 out of the estimated 24,000 tickets up for grabs! The show ran for 3 days. Thanks Marvin for the “lead” and Percy for selling the tickets to me!
The album “New Era” contains several good tracks. My favorite (track 2) is “Shuo Le Zai Jian (Said Goodbye)”. I think Jet Li is featured in the music video. Jay performed this at the concert as well.
On with the photos…
More concert photos on my photo website . Download as you please (for free) but let me know if you publish them somewhere ok.
My “renewed” relationship with Hong Kong in terms of shopping started 3 years ago. I have been visiting yearly since then.
Going to Hong Kong means filling up my luggage with H&M stuff, my most favorite brand. Zara, Pull & Bear, Esprit being the runners up.
Here’s a photo from my very first trip to the H&M store in HK in 2007.
At almost the same spot during my recent trip there…
Have I aged so much that the guy in the 2007 photo looks like my son?? Oh well. I guess with age comes a higher level of maturity to control impulse shopping and improved fashion sense. My hair is parted on the other side too. :p
Anyway, this 2010 HK trip is not just for my own shopping satisfaction but that of my sister’s who has not seen this beautiful city since 1988. Back then, she always wanted to be carried around by my parents as she could not survive walking along what used to be called Ocean Terminal in Kowloon. No wonder she hardly had any recollection of that trip.
She’s all grown up now and ready to spend more than I could ever imagine! At 20+ yrs old, no one in our family could carry her anymore without risk of serious injury… ha
When I was booking the flight, I made sure to choose the Singapore Airlines aircraft that had the new Economy seats. Some years back, Singapore Airlines introduced a new layout for Business Class and improved Economy seats. This aircraft has the same look and feel as the A380 but single deck only. A few photos of the Economy seats I am talking about.
We arrived in HK slightly after noon and it was shopping and sightseeing for 3.5 days.

HK MTR stations are characterized by numerous exits, 2-3 levels of escalators, and thousands of people. This one is like 10x the size of Dhoby Ghaut MRT station in Singapore

Near the Madame Tussauds entrance getting intimate with Bruce. We decided not to go into the wax museum due to lack of time.

Langham Place (mall) in Mongkok. I braved 13 levels and had quite a few good purchases. (Nearest MTR: Mongkok)

Before we packed our stuff into 3 suitcases, we checked out the shops near Times Square (Nearest MTR: Causeway Bay)

Final day (morning) spent on a bus tour of south HK island. Passed through Repulse Bay on our way to Stanley Market. Awesome residential properties with stunning view of the bay.

We didn't need to request an additional chair for our bags and jackets as they had a low bench for them.

Spent more than expected but no regrets. I'll go back in 2011. Need to check out New Territories, have a round of drinks in a bar overlooking the city, take the cable car at Lantau Island, ride the ferry to the other island, bargain at day/night markets, eat good dimsum
Special thanks to Steph Ho, Kristy Teng, Vincent Ang, and MJ Kuok for the shopping / bar hopping tips.
And speaking of MJ, check out his latest single “Once Twice 3″.
Support talented musicians like him by purchasing his music from iTunes (search “mj kuok”) or from www.mjkuok.com (Click Shop Online).
My weekend activities this month have either been food adventures or artsy events. Here’s a glimpse.
1) Why I could not hit my target weight by end March

Lemon Cake from The Cookie Museum (8 Raffles Avenue, Esplanade Mall, #01-02/04 Singapore 039802 Ph: +65 63331965)
2) Artsy
Annual concert organised by NUS CAC Voices. Saw the performance of a few members several months ago along Orchard and sought info on upcoming shows. The show lasted for 3 hours and involved more than predominantly Mandopop performances. Amateur talent with lots of potential.
Asian Civilisation Museum
Mark visited Singapore for the first time so brought him to one of the best museums I’ve ever been to. You need at least 2 hrs to do justice to this place.
To Kill a Mockingbird
I read the novel in secondary school so when I learned about the production, I did not think twice about booking tickets for me and my sister. Brilliant script, highly engaging, creative treatment.
More concerts and events in the coming months so watch this space.