rAy cHaRlEs

rAy cHaRLeS

Ray is the never-before-told, musical biographical drama of American legend Ray Charles. Featuring a remarkable performance from Jamie Foxx in the central role, Ray follows the inspiring story of a one-of-a-kind genius.

Born in a poor town in Georgia, Ray Charles went blind at the age of seven shortly after witnessing his younger brother's accidental death. Inspired by a fiercely independent mother who insisted he make his own way in the world, Charles found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered incorporating gospel, country, jazz and orchestral influences into his inimitable style. As he revolutionized the way people appreciated music, he simultaneously fought segregation in the very clubs that launched him and championed artists' rights within the corporate music business. Ray provides an unflinching portrait of Charles' musical genius as he overcomes drug addiction while transforming into one of this country's most beloved performer. (Quote from Universal Pictures)

There is the blackness and the blindness. There was the extreme poverty; there was the segregated South into which he was born. I like films/ books whose themes revolve around racial discrimnation, for eg "To Kill A Mocking Bird", "Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry etc. Ray Charles has an admirable character, besides being hooked on drugs during his later years which was the unglamourous part, he fought for the rights for the coloured in the state of Geogia by refusing to perform in front of a segregated audience.

Been a long time since I watched a really good movie. There is great music throughout the show as the audience are brought on the journey of the success of his remarkable career despite being him being coloured and blind in 1950 America. The director also captured the essence of the english spoken by the blacks whom always use double negatives in their speech. For eg" you aint not going to no white man's house". From my studies of E lit, this is quite typical of what coloured people at that period in the Southern States. Hence, I rate this film 8.5 out of a 10 and I recommend to all who have not watched this film.

Do visit the official site of Ray Charles

tHe sMeLL oF fReEdOm

tHe sMeLL oF fReEdOm

Indeed, this smell is more sanguine than one can imagine. The feeling is just like a caged dove being released, spreading and soaring its wings into the sky. It was not long when the dove realised that unlike in a cage, no one will feed it any food, it has to source for food itself, all on its own.

This leads to a new problem, i prolly need a job for this break till July. The situation aint that simple as you think. I am holding a Green IC/ not a pink one, meaning I cant get a government job or a job with CPF till the magical date on the right hand corner of your screen. So pple with any suitable job openings, pls inform me ya, and you shall be greatly rewarded...yeah right

Will be busy these few days to organise for my 21st birthday: Chalet needs to be booked, food to be catered, cake to be ordered, etc. Any sponsors for alcohol/beer on that day? Hm after serious consideration, i think i should update my birthday wishlist, and just in case i get the 2 Fossil watches or 2 new wallets, kindly inform me so that I can book the lot for you..harhar (BHB)

sUgArCaNe

sUgArCaNe

Today probably marks the last official day I will be in camp b4 i enter into my next phase of life. Thinking about it, I have been in the company for like 1yr 9 mths. I wont dare to say I contributed a lot to the coy, needless to say for SA platoon. Well at least that's what my PC and PWO thought too. Why should I deserve any ORD off in the first place?

I told many people in camp this" Every NSF is just like a passing cloud" Not many regulars/ officers will remember your contributions after 6 mths you ord just like the clock in the workshop today. Its battery was probably weak then i asked Sebastian " Who will rememeber what this clock looks like if a new clock replaced it after it had served the company for 3 years?" He nodded.

And here I am, in my last few days of my work " like a sugar cane that has been through the sugercane machine for so many times, squeezing the last bit of juice out of me" And I have to emphasise the last bit of juice in the sugercane juice probably wont taste as sweet as a freshly squeezed one.

Enough of ramblings and grumbles. Definitely gonna miss the dudes out there in the coy and other people like Neil, Angelo, Yaohui, Mark and Wee Cher. Thanks for being around, your day will come sooner than you expect.

Dint exactly know my status was upgraded to the status of a celestial being?Just wanna let all commoners out there know that being in the mortal world, one can only imagine the existence of heaven and celestial beings. These things probably only exist in the commoner's mind. Something that is just a facade, blurring his vision at all angles. These celestial beings did not consume any elixir of life nor they can do without their close friends. They are in fact just commoners themselves. Is there a need for the commoner to build a wall around himself, segregating himself from the so called 'celestial beings' when he can choose to demolish the wall and share the space with fellow commoners? I am sure all the commoners will be much happier...

cNy nOrM

cNy nOrM

Can't really recall the last CNY that there wasn't some sort of disagreement/ quarrel between my dad with the rest in the family. It never fails to spoil my mood for CNY, or perhaps I have just grown out of it.

AngPows, chinese near year goodies and reunion dinner. Chinese New Year is definitely a time for reunion. For myself, I have to take this opportunity to get-together with all my cousins. Due to our individual hectic schedules, few of us take the effort to go visit our grandparents. Being me again, I will recall the good old childhood days playing in the void deck with all of them.

雄：恭贺大家心想事成， 万事如意，在鸡年里做番冲刺，梦想成真！

倒带

倒带

我受过了等待 妳所谓的安排　
說的未来到底多久才来
总是要来不及 才知道我可爱
我想依赖而你却都不在

应该開心的地带 妳给的全是空白
一个人假日發呆 找不到人陪我看海　
我在幸福的門外 却一直都進不来
你累積給的伤害 我是真的很難释怀

終於看開 爱回不来 而你总是太晚明白　
最後才把话說開 哭著求我留下来
終於看開 爱回不来 我们面前太多阻礙　
你的手却放不開　宁愿没出息 求我别離開　

你总是要我乖 慢慢计划将来
我的眼泪却一直掉下来
過去怎麼交代 你该給的信赖　
被你親手缓缓推入悬崖

从我脸上的蒼白 看到记忆慢下来
過去甜蜜在倒带 只是感覺已经不在　
而我对你的期待 被你一次次摔坏
已经碎成太多块 要怎麼拼凑跟重来

作詞：方文山　作曲：周杰伦

雄：只觉得这首歌很好听，歌词并没有代表之自己的内心情感

Reminiscence

rEmInIsCeNcE

It was a great feeling as i stepped into the premises of the school along Tanjong Rhu Road. The drinks stall auntie recognised me immediately as i drank the longan drink in the canteen. Everything still looked very familiar, the green tables and benches, students clad in white tops with metal buttons, the girls with their long blue skirts covering up to their knee caps...

Saw Ms Ling at the foyer, she was my Peer Support teacher-in-charge and she called me recently to relief teach at DHS, too bad I was still in service. Senny came shortly after and Ms Ling brought us into the staff room where we saw: Ms Tang/ MS Pear/ Mrs Shu/ Mr Lian/ Mrs George/ Mrs Vora/ Mrs Ho/Ms Yee/ Mrs Grace Bok/ ¬family of teachers. Heh, trying to list all whom i saw.

Whilst Senny was talking to 连汉川老师 ，i went to look for Mr kiw, yes! The discipline master who made Dunman famous for the some of the strictest school rules we have (For eg, school bags and straps of watches cannot only be of blue, black, grey or metallic/ length of skirts for girls need to cover the kneecaps). I spoke to him as he walked to his class for lessons. On our way, you can really see some of the students try ways and means not to cross our paths. For those who do, they never fail to greet him as they bow(鞠躬). Well, i haven realy seen people who are that courteous or respectful in a long long time.

I went to 上音 today! (It's a CO school for those who may not know). Wilford wanted to learn the 二胡 so we arranged to go down today. Unfortunately 丁老师 was not around so we dint stay there for long, was just talking to 王老师 about my life in NS. She came up with a conclusion though with her signature 高调 voice '男生嘛，都应该去服役，看看伟雄变得高大俊俏多了！' Oops, the usual Buay2 hiao2 bai4 me...

Not much thoughts, just like to pen down what i did today. A riddle to all Dunmanians 猜一位德明老师：长江黄河一同流。Answers anyone?

Life Choices

lIfE cHoIcEs

Was reflecting back on certain decisions which i made in life, these are choices which I made they have definitely have a certain impact on my life and have the shaped the "Xiong" you know. What if

1) I made the decision to go to RI instead of DHS. I believe the secondary school u go to is like a scupltor who eventually shapes the whole character of a person. Of course, it was my parent's will for me to go DHS since young and since it's nearer to where i stayed, DHS was the natural choice. Being a traditional chinese medium school, with its strong emphasis on chinese literature and culture

2) Most of you may not know this, during the ECA sports selection, i was handpicked to join basketball. Had some tyco shots during the trials and they shortlisted m name to join. I only went for one training...

3) i took up japanese as a third lang in Secondary one. Too lazy to travel to Bishan after school hours, only to realise i have to travel from Bukit Panjang to Tanjong Rhu from sec 2 onwards.

4) did not choose Geo and E lit which i dint regret though I thought i was the C Lit kind. My Chinese standard has been stagnant since then.

5) Gone to NJ instead of VJ?

6) i choose to be a techinican and not the coy clerk. Will my repairing skills be superb?

7) Choose to be COPA when the opportunity came

8) Choose to go to S1 branch when she approach me. (For 7,8 I felt that bring born and bred in armament, I cant leave the company for possibly greener pasteurs?)

9) I choose to wait for Vijay and not board the bus alone this morning?

Well, no point brooding over the past, since these decisions have already been made. Sometimes I feel that I always like to live in the past. Just some food for thought i guess. SO now, time for me to look at the things i need to do for now till March:

1) Send out my letters of recommendation and cover letters for relief teaching to schools near my house.
2) Settle Unit anniversary stuff
3) Enjoy Chinese New year, get some hong Baos/ win some money
4) Do my unit clearance
5) Spend time in camp
5) Plan for my 21st birthday party
6) Find a part time job which pays well