Qing Ming 2015

I went back to Jakarta following a 3-day long weekend over Easter. I attended Qing Ming which is the tomb-sweeping time for traditional Chinese family to gather around ancestral home / burial ground to get together and clean up the resting ground of our ancestor. It happens on early April, family may choose either the weekend prior or the weekend after April 1.

My family chose to gather for my paternal grandmother's tomb at Cilegon, around 90k east Jakarta. We picked up 2ko who prepared bakpao (meat dumpling), bakchang (pork meat dumpling), and "huatkwee" (translated literally as 'growth cake'). Mom and Dad cooked homemake fried yam cakes, that is crispy and savoury, and is a family favorite. We set off at 640am to pick up Sen and then 2ko at her house at Kedoya, then proceeded to meet the convoy at KM 42 by tollroad before meeting up just past the tollbooth at Cilegon Timur.

The car convoy proceeded to highway, and then turned to village roads that is damaged by the sand mining trucks, before proceeding further into the village. I remembered the ground to be relatively empty, and it was now full with various grave stones. My grandmother's place is one of those on the top, near a yellow-painted gazebo, and is overlooking the area full of rice paddyfields, and sometimes you can hear birds chirping and rooster crowing. It is indeed a beautiful and serene resting place, one that is rare these days given the cost of empty land. A couple of village kids gathered around and singing, and waited for the leftover fruits or some small changes that outpour from the hearts of the families who gathered.

The ritual starts with cleaning of the graves, from a year worth of dusts, and grass which grew tall since last year's sweeping. I imagine that when the ritual started in China, they must have chosen this time a few months after Spring festival when the weather permits a cleaning, out of the winter frost and the spring grass and flowers, while allowing the descendants a reason to gather and retain the family bond. We then brought over the cakes, sweet ones, the meat meals, and fruits (pineapples, grapes, apples are the favorite) over. This was also complemented by boxes of paper gold, paper monies, paper clothes, and other offerings. We then lined up to offer our players and remembrance and then lighted up the rest of red candles and 'hio' incense around the ground. After that, the wait, and the chat, and the gossiping began over family catch-up while waiting for my grandmother's spirit (hopefully) to come over and enjoy the food offerings. After a period of time deemed appropriate, we then started burning the papers offering. The sun was blazing hot under a clear cloudless sky, it was amazingly bright and a beautiful day. My grandmother is obviously blessed lady, her five sons and four daughters have wonderful grandsons and grand-daughters. And the grandsons from each of her sons, except one, were cooperating to undertake this task of sending the underground wealth to her. I watched with pride and a slight sense of wistfulness of her happy achievements, a slight smart housewife supporting the family as life partner to my late grandfather who was known to be de-facto village chief. After this stage, this was completed by my eldest male cousin, completed the burning by dousing a circle of water around the pot. Then we offered our final amen, and started packing the fruits and cakes to gazebo and enjoyed the light meal together. The final stage was observing grounds around for various improvements and clean-up activities, such as hacking away two trees offending the view from my grandmother's gravesites, and lots of hustle and bustle over a tree right on the front-right of the site where a tree with thorny trunk sprung up high, and its thorny branches protuded dangerous. We stayed to monitor and supervise, as apparently the keeper did not follow up as instructed last year after we left. The tree also has a natural bird nest resting on one of its high branches, a cause of lots of pointing and awe.

We then said goodbyes and proceeded back to Jakarta. Strangely the sky turned grey and started to rain heavily, which is a blessing on a day like this and is considered to be a good sign. I found this trip to be useful bonding over my root, my ancestor, and my extended family in general. I wish that we can do this at least once a year in the future.

Day of Mourning in Singapore

This morning, Singapore woke up to a very sad news of the passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew (LKY). He was a strong leader who lead the founding father of Singapore. I am saddened and share my grieve with the rest of fellow Singapore. It must be very hard for his family, and PM Lee Hsien Loong who conducted press release at 8am this morning in a stoic and touching speech although he must be very sad inside.

Singapore, and the World lost a great leader today. Such is life. LKY left behind a strong legacy, and a life lived to the fullest and most productive. Rest in Peace, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.

https://www.facebook.com/RememberingLeeKuanYew

Work, Work, then Something exciting

I am getting a new PC build, diy from a computer shop at Sim Lim Square (SLS). How it started is I was wanting to retrieve data, quite innocently, from my old harddisk that has been buried in the box. Most of the older harddisk is of IDE type, which means that current standard SATA, could no longer read the harddisk. I went to SLS to get a reader - and Video Pro was the only shop online that stocks the Sabrent. I called the shop at 720pm, to check for opening hour the day after, and was informed that they are open until 8pm everyday.

I visited the shop, and was interested in the build. After 1hr consultation, where the shop is closed, but the lads are very happily obliged and I put $200 deposit for an AMD configuration within, or rather close to my original budget of $1500 SGD.

After a night of research, my system is capable of producing this quality in Final Fantasy XIV ARR - woohoo. I have to compare this High Desktop setting with the miserable specs  of my laptop (note: it is a decent 3-year old laptop) under Extremely Low Laptop setting. The graphic, the texture of cloths, dirts, roads, the weapons, the special effects of spells and fire - are all beautifully rendered.

Why People are Selfish

I am sitting here, working overnight on what I believe to be my last Fiscal Year closing as my role. I am committed and dedicated, and feeling increasingly naïve.

I felt so foolish for wanting to dedicate my effort and thought I will be happy to "support" my colleagues in ramping them up to be doing well in the role. I am foolishly thought that I would be rewarded with recognition, gratitude, and thankfulness.

It turned out after all the hardwork, my personal time, efforts, thoughts, and energy put into building the people, what I got is nothing but a generic, thank you everyone in the team (including those that barely contributed to your onboarding!) by the person whom I onboarded the most, and plus I spent all my thoughts planning about her 6-months maternity leave. I'm feeling disappointed and a bit bitter. I suppose I was naïve, I thought it would turn out not as what I expected. I don't know what I expect, but certainly I am vindicated and again proven that people are selfish. The level of immaturity and flattery that go around certainly continue to astound me. When shall you ever learn, dear? I can't help but to hope.

I suppose I am insecure myself but at least I am mature enough to feel and know that the world doesn't resolve just around me.

I just felt I'm discriminated against. Just because I'm the youngest in the team, and I am few years younger than my teammate, I truly feel that she treat me differently ever since she discovered that I am years younger than her even though I have more seniority. Some people are just shallow and self-serving.

Why am I so sad. Don't I know this already. It still hurts. Very much like a betrayal.

I am glad I have my summer plan sorted out.

Movies under the Star

This morning while jogging with Clarissa my little nice from Medan, I noticed the sign for DBS Movies by the Bay. www.dbsmoviesbythebay.com for details. Tonight's show is Thor!

I am quite excited for spend this Saturday night with this movie event!

What's the latest in my live for sept-oct

After a terrible closing quarter, I had to take leave. So with strong determination, I summoned last remaining spirit to go and attend a weeklong team offsite in Seattle. Normally I lke this type of meetings of exchange of minds and views, but.. the Seattle team meeting is the worst type. After travelling 21 hours on coach / economy class each way (so 42 hours of life wasted on return trip), attending series of meetings while in horrible jetlag, and getting nothing much new information for work related stuff, amidst team members who are very political- this sounds like fun.

Normally I travel straight and back with min time possible. But this time is different since I am taking 2 weeks off after. The best is I found out bro is going to be in San Fransisco on almost the same week. Hurray! God must have taken pity on me. Plus for one strange bright idea I decided to check the cost of miles upgrade to business class. To my delight (bless the ladies at Amex corporate travel, they are the best!!! angels) it cost very little. It cost 25,000 miles each way, but hey, I have close to 200,000 miles on my delta account that I rarely used.

I am really lucky - to get such a good deal there. So after the strings of luck, I finally locked on my destination - Vancouver 2 days with Amtrak train thru Cascade. Beautiful. Scenic. And Las Vegas for 3 nights 2 days aaaand Grand Canyon, Arizona.

The wonderful thing is, the first newspaper article I read when I arrived in US, announced the impeding Government shutdown. Shutdown! And it's still going on right now when I am writing this on 14th Oct. They shutdown all "non-essential" Federal Government services, including the National Parks - yes Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and etc. Luckily Amtrak is not impacted, neither is the Border Services, nor Hoover Dam (which we visited) that is funded solely thru the sales of their power generated by the Dam.

Sigh, what an adventure. I'll tell all about it. now it's 7pm Singapore, and I'm going to bed still sleepy from the jetlag, but wow I really enjoyed the break. And I'm going to Beijing this weekend, after coming back from USA.

i'm starting to build my to-do now: driving class, cycling class, mani/pedi, gym. only hair is done. During the journey on the bus back, I realized something... about "Trust", "Risk Aversion" and the fact that I am starting to learn about myself about how I never really trusted anyone. No one, I'm the worst. And no relationship can start between two people who do not trust anyone else.

When I start to see things in this new light, I have relevations. Maybe I have to trust. I know I want to. badly, but it's hard. to trust. Really trusting.

Heading home

After 3 days in Auckland, I am sitting in the hotel lounge waiting for the cab to arrive. I can't wait to be back home. NZ has been a wonderful and beautiful country. Lots of shopping - my 1 luggage and 1 carry-on has morphed to luggage, extra bag, plus shoes bag, plus my Burberry coat and carry on with my purse....oops.

Such an amazing energy around the city, because of a big rugby match between the NZ team "All Blacks" vs South African team "the Boks" at Eden Park's stadium. As I was taking a train from Newmarket to Britomart the city transfort, thongs of people in blacks jacket were descending the transport system heading to the Eden park's direction.

what a masculine and rough sports. The images evoke primitive but also original spirit of sport.

Energizer Trail Run

Saturday morning! I went to get ready for the first Energizer Trail run Singapore! That I am joining. It is organized at one of the NS-men camp, at lorong Asrama, which after searching on the streetdirectory map, is normally off-limit for normal civilians. (later confirmed by the MC of the event too!).

It was a very hot and humid day. The weather was pent-up with the rain that almost drizzle (luckily it didn't for the sake of thousands of runners with kids who were looking forward for the event). I arrived at 230pm after various arguments with Mom, whom I dragged and whom is energetic enough to accompany me to the event. My mom is so adorable.

The Energizer 2013 race route and obstacles

What I did to track marathon progress of my friends

In-flight entertainment

8 hours flights each way Singapore - Brisbane

3 episodes of the Big Bag Theory
Hunger Games
Friends with Kids
Lorax
Act of Valor ***1/2
The Artist ****
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ****1/2 (my favorite)

Lady gaga concert in Singapore

A couple of girls and I went to concert in Singapore. 3 nights sold-out, and we went for the first day. Standing ticket - so fun!

Amazing energy and showmanship. Also great personal touch and real showcase of dancing, energy, and also controversial message. Checkout her full tour schedule across Asia. This is still followed by 2 weeks in Auckland, New Zealand and every major cities in Australia.

It's amazing that the concert started at 830+ (after one-hour of waiting and bad organizing in the Singapore venue first day), and by 1030ish the audience energy is waning. While the singer is still so energetic, so its appaling that the encore shout is weak, and some people seen left the venue already! That's the reason the concert organizer decided to run both encores consecutively to end the day.

The Avengers

I went to watch the Avengers with my collegue, last nigh pre-preview 4/30. Her brother's company is having movie night. I caught cold in mid term and had to rush back home immediately after the movie finished at midnight.

What a great show. I love how the new Director creates a logical story. The acting is strong and characters very compelling. Love it.

Also how wonderful that the interactions and dynamism between relationships of these superheroes - being playfully and quite realistically displayed. The only thing that I think is lacking is the feeling of watching a Movie than just a series. But maybe that's like reading an epic from the comic book.

Normally I have very good taste on what's good movie. Rotten tomatoes has it opening in USA on the 5th 96%.

Shakespeare at the Park

I had a good time with my gal friend. Watching Macbeth at Port Canning Park. It was performed by Singapore Repertory Theather (SRT) a charity non-profit organization. Conclusion, the play was better than I expected and I walked off feeling a degree smarter, and cultured :)

The show was at 730pm, we arrived strolling around 7 and the whole field were covered with picnic blankets by the time we got there. We had wine - white and red (ended up only consuming Moscato since it was hot and humid!), chips, dips, fruits, sandwiches. Very enjoyable and relaxing.