Looking back at 2009
It is not uncommon for me to read through my previous entries and cringe, because most of them are really crap and honestly nothing to be proud of (in terms of writing). It is pretty much a love/hate thing with this blog – I enjoy blogging and is happy to see there’s somewhat a regular ‘readership’, even happier to see comments or encouraging ones that motivates me to continue blogging. However, like every other lazybummers out there, I am far from being disciplined to produce regular entries. Sometimes you just can’t get down to blog even though there are interesting happenings then eventually you will forget whatever ‘interesting content’ and forget about it altogether. Yes, I’m guilty of that…all the time ! -looks at the food entry drafts on dashboard-
How much longer do I want to keep going ? Do I want to find a focus (like the boyfriend) and separate my personal life from this ? Do I want to dig in deeper and actually blog about more ‘serious’ topics ? So I ask myself how serious I am with this (about blogging that is), I figured that I’m purely doing this for myself. As long as I am enjoying myself and I think it’s good enough. There’s no need for me to be categorized under ‘blogger’ or whatever titles there are out there. I’m contented =) and I hope my readers will be too !
Through this blog (somewhat), I got to know alot of new people this year. Thank you for being part of my life and hopefully our paths will cross again someday (that was rather cheesy! haha). Many thanks to those who commented and visited my blog on a regular basis..really appreciate it ! Fear not, more AOTW to be featured and better content (I hope) will be coming up for the brand new year !
There can’t be a even more cliche blog entry title than this…I was deciding between this and “Goodbye 2009″ okay ! HAHA ! Have a good laugh with the video below ! I like JibJab since forever ! Funny people =)
Happy New Year and have a great 2010 ahead !
original img credit : =detail24
Embracing Government 2.0 ?
You have to agree that Singapore is one of the few countries that is actually evolving in its own progressive strategies, slow to adopt the technologies but you see the transition here and there. One noticeable change is how the government has been leveraging web and mobile tools to engage and interact on personal level social media platforms with its citizens.
I was reading the Chinese newspaper (yes, CHINESE) and came across an article which was talking about Aljunied GRC’s iPhone app called “iLink@Aljunied GRC” and I thought it was quite interesting to see this additional channel apart from the usual “Meet the People” sessions that happen every month (I think) at the GRC of your neighbourhoods.
So basically residents of Aljunied can use their iPhones to send pictures and feedback via this app to the Town Council. Simple as that ! For example, broken chair at your void deck or bulky garbage that are blocking the walkway. The article mentioned that it was almost an instant reply and action taken from the Town Council, sounds better than having the need to call and forced to listen to weird music tones while waiting for the almost-nonexistence operator. Great for allowing residents to have a say in their own environment and encourages community involvement. But will it end up becoming the next ‘Stomp’ (ie uploading of making-out pictures and all sorts of nonsense etc) ?
So my question is (or rather, questions are) – How do you filter out the ‘noise’ or the ‘off-topics’ from the meaningful things that the government should hear from the public ? How do you engage the public without addressing to their issues inappropriately or simply being accountable ? How do you know when the government or even the public is ready for such ‘grassroots democracy’ ?
I think in a way, Gov 2.0 certainly make things alil more transparent or even turn it into a crowd-sourced scrutiny. However, I believe that this is just a starting point. Citizens need to be mature enough to understand the various constraints of a governing body while the government must be ready to handle both +/- impact of being on such platforms. Having the public participating only signifies a driving force for the organizing engine to take action. However, we as citizens are not just voices but ‘lending hands’ to provide information and constructive comments. Who knows, maybe election voting in the future will be just a tap on your iPhones too. At the end of the day, there’s no way we can measure the success of leveraging on these platforms …can we ? Will be interesting to hear from the social media ‘experts’ or ‘social scientists’ =)
So what does Gov 2.0 means to you ? And how far do you think it’ll go ?
AOTW [21] : Axis of Awesome
This is brilliant ! How they put together a history of pop songs by using just 4 chords.
The Axis of Awesome may not be the best singers around but the stuff they do is really awesome, imo at least.
Makes me really wanna catch them live ! Really hiliarious people they are.
Can you figure out all the songs they sang in this ? =)
Doesn’t it make you feel that music songwriters/producers should come up with better songs or be more original ? lol
Ever Yours,with Love.
It’s a Saturday afternoon in December of 2008. With a Toffeenut Latte at RafflesCity Starbucks, I was waiting for the boyfriend aka ‘Daryl the Shitfu’ anxiously after long months of him being just a 2D figure on my screen. Months of chatting online till wee hours (since he was in Canada for exchange) and never-ending emails, finally we met up to have our Toffeenut Latte ‘real date’ and xmas presents exchange. Rather awkward to see him again after so long but glad I agreed to meet him instead of waiting for the school term to start ! (What a difference it might have been!)
And the story continues when we evolved into this ‘complicated’ status on Facebook (social media dependents..lol) which eventually became this not-so-complicated relationship of ours. Of course, Love is never perfect- we both shared our emotional ups and downs in the relationship from the start. Somehow, it’s the seemingly bad and counter-emotions that enable us to appreciate the positive emotions or happy times together.
There are moments when we could possibly be the most insensitive prick to eachother’s feelings which resulted in even more communication breakdowns or disagreements. To make matters worse, we’re both just as hot tempered and stubborn to listen or give in when we were arguing. I’m glad we are learning to listen and understand, respond to the other person as who he/she really is, having more patience with eachother now. Not easy to state all the changes he/I have made over these 12 months – Something new for the both of us but I guess it’s a good thing because if you don’t love and care for someone – you wouldn’t bother to change ?
Not to get all mushy, but we definitely put in alot of love and effort into this ‘long yet short’ one year. Despite our differences, I think we’ve grown alot from this relationship and learnt to appreciate each other more each day. Things may be awkward at times because we don’t know how to handle the situations, but I believe as long as there’s love – we can overcome these obstacles =)
Looking forward to each and every coming anniversaries together, with trust and the love we bear each other, I hope it will be sufficient to make them blessed…Thank you for loving me =)
Love is a magical thing, it just happens – and I may have met my awkward ‘perfect’ match 
Happy our Anniversary to all ! Hur.
Merry Christmas
Just a quick one,
MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a blessed year ahead =)
Thanks for visiting !
AOTW [20] : AJ Rafael
Discovered AJ Rafael when I was looking for christmas songs on youtube, another young talent I must say.
Currently studying in Berklee College of Music and his first single “I Just Want You” is out on iTunes already.
Pretty cute song ! Especially when it’s played with Ukulele !
I Just Want You – AJ Rafael
Theres something I gotta say to you
But im so afraid of what you’ll doo
OhhhhI’ll just admit this to you now
That Im stuck on you like glue somehowDon’t wanna feel so cold inside
I wanna feel the warmth that I feel with you all the timeSurrounding me just like the wind
Cuz youre the one who makes me singHelp me find myself like how I found you oh
I need you so we can live happily too ohh
I just want youI wanna go out with you tonight
A picnic with candlelight
I might just hold you tightTell me you wanna be my queen
If not its ok a princess seems just my type I promise I’ll be there tonight
I’ll keep you warm in winter’s white
And in the summer walks on beach sound nice
I want you now to talk with on the phone for hours at a time
Baby I just want you to be mine all mineI wanna be ur valentine ur Christmas wish ur pickup line
I wanna be the one who knows about ur friends and foes and the tv shows you love
Look above the stars spell out ur name with an exclamation point at the end of the day ur the one who makes me say
I liked his collaboration with Jane Lui and Gerald Ko “Do you hear what I hear” as well, beautiful voices !
So here’s an additional video for this week’s Artist of the Week ! Merry Christmas !!
AOTW [19] : Sam Tsui
Disappeared for quite some time since it was my final papers, finally…Goodbye Year 3 Term 1 !
Starting things off again with Artiste of the Week (AOTW)- Featuring Sam Tsui !
Actually I was looking for Glee songs on youtube and came across his cover of “Don’t Stop Believing”
Really enjoyed it and I think he has a great voice (even though the video was alil creepy at first – clones attack ! haha)
I thought it was a great cover and check out Sam’s myspace for other covers !
Don't Stop Believing
Just a small town girl
livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
A singer in a smoky room
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the nights
Streetlights, people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the nights
Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some are born to sing the blues
And now the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Don't stop believin
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlight, people
Don't stop!
