National Anthem

Someone need to teach Singaporeans the importance of singing our National Anthem correctly and with reverence.

Firstly, I was annoyed when I heard how Singaporeans sing the anthem. Sure, it was loud. Only because it was a great moment and one should sing it loud. But, it was awful. Wrong note aside, I can hear people deliberately not singing it properly. So much for proud moment. Then, how could people forget that you have to sing it twice? I saw the re-telecast of it on Sunday morning and it is so distinctive that Singaporeans have no idea how to sing the anthem. Then did you hear how the lions sang it on TV for Sunday's match? Yuckkks! Someone should teach them how to sing properly!

Already the gamen decided to "improve" on the anthem. They say to make it more singable. Then, we still can't sing it properly. What? Can't even stand straight and sing in a normal voice without the mockery? Must need to Anglicise our anthem to sing properly, meh? Please la, even the Malays don't sing with pride. Stop the excuses, sit down and just learn the words and sing it right!

This is not a school marm thing, I am just embarrassed how Singaporeans behave. Listen to the Thais on both matches, they sang beautifully. They stood with pride and even during our anthem they stood silently. We at the stadium did not even have the thought to do so. Constant cheering and jeering. How uncouth we all are and the gamen so proud we are more developed than our neighbours. Puuiiii ah!

When I was in KL and we watched a play, the Malaysian national anthem was sung before the play started. And they sang with pride. I was bowled over. Singaporeans sing really loud and maybe with pride only at soccer matches and National Day Parades. Other days? forget it. Even in school, students hardly open their mouths to sing the anthem. Aren't u proud of our National Anthem? I am. When was the last time u thought about what it means? The composer really had vision when he wrote it. Do you know who he is?  

When the aunts start to talk

Visited Nadz's mom at the hospital yesterday. She had a lot of visitors, mostly her schoolmates of yore. These aunties are all grandmothers today but listening to their stories, one could tell they had such fun when they were younger. Anyway, they talked animatedly and well, let's just say even without diplomas or degrees they certainly do have a wealth of knowledge. It was very interesting listening in to their conversations. Also, amusing...

There was this one point of their conversation that really puzzled us. They were talking about diseases and illnesses such as cancer and how some people overcome them. Here is an excerpt:

"yeah, her illness very strange. It attacked her eyes and she is sensitive to light now. She can't see. But, someone told her to chew kancing butang (buttonhole) and put them on her eyes. It worked, her eyes are much better now." said Aunt A.

Aunt B interjected "This kancing butang, all you need is to chew it?"

Nadz, yati and myself exchanged puzzled looks. How does one chew a button hole?

Aunt C said "Yes, just chew it and spit it out again."

"Is it like the misai kucing (cat's whiskers)?" asks Aunt B again

"Yes, they are all related." Aunt D replied.

"oh, there is another one good for cancer and your knees. The tujuh jarum (7 needles)."

"How do you use it? We have never heard of it." asks several aunts in unison.

"Oh you just pluck the leaf and eat it." "Oh, is it the one with the red flower?"

Oh yes, they are all talking about plants and herbal medicine. Kancing butang, misai kucing and tujuh jarum are all names of plants. We finally understood what they were talking about. You see, these aunts really have a wealth of knowledge. While it is amusing to listen to them. I do hope that I will one day achieve "auntyhood" like them in my old age. I didn't see old ladies in front of me. I saw honourable and respectable people who have done much in their lives just being daughters, mothers, aunts, grandmothers, wives, girlfriends and so much more. I admire these women, their knowledge, their kindness and their solidarity. I went home and I saw my mother and I appreciated her that much more.  

Anti Vice Squad

His hands never left her waist throughout the match. Even when people stood up to jeer or cheer, they were still seated, his hands encircling her. Once in a while he would kiss her forehead and whispered to her about the intricate details of the match that she did not understand. It got cold and he took off his shirt and put it around her legs and rub her arms. Awww....so sweet. NOT! it is so disgusting because it is not appropriate behaviour. They should also put up alongside the no-smoking sign a NO PDA allowed sign. Everybody around them were uncomfortable by their presence.

So all the time they were right under our noses and PDAing, which were too sweet that it makes us cringe with disgust so we decided to be the anti-vice squad. Heh he. We used the free clappers given to us and clapped around their ears to distract them. I poked them once in a while. "Oops! Sorry!" "Oh no, Accident!" Heh hehe. When he took off the shirt to wrap it around the legs and hugged her to shield her from the cold draft, we rolled our eyes and thought "How silly! U wear a short skirt to watch a match? Duh, of course when u sit, the people in front can see everything!' We turned to one another "Eh, u need another t-shirt or not? Cold ah? U sure u don't need another t-shirt? U need a hug? cos it is quite cold." Yeah, ok, we were quite mean. But they were asking for it. And we had a ball of time giving them a hard time. The funny thing is the guy wore gold chain and bracelet and the girl has not a single piece of jewellery on her. What has the world come to?

Yupps, watching a live match is really fun and exciting. he hehe.  

Where are u? We are wearing red.

Place: National Stadium
Occassion: Singapore vs Thailand (ASEAN cup finals - 1st leg)
Situation: 55 500 Singapore suppporters most of whom wear red. Early birds 'chop' seats for friends arriving later.
Time: 7.45 pm

Overheard: Boy on the handphone "Where are u? U can't see us ah? We are down here lah. We are wearing red!"

Muaha hahahahahahha!!!!!!!!