Friday, March 28, 2008

Useless bum...

Ever since Kaimyo-in opened on 15th March, i didn't pay a visit until just now.

The feeling is totally different. Even if the same physical building is the same, save for the addition of the altar and the signboards with the name 広布山 and 日蓮正宗 開妙院 on it, the feeling is totally different. I really have the feeling that i am entering a temple, entering one of those buildings that you would find in Taiseki-ji. No kidding, the aura our temple gives out can make one feel that one is in Taiseki-ji itself. It is hard to imagine that just a few weeks ago, the very same building is just a PC.

Entering the Main Hall, i could feel an immense sense of peace and tranquility, not forgetting how grand it looks now as compared to the time when it is still a PC. The signboard with the words 客殿 on top of the entrance to the Reception Hall reminds me that now i am stepping inside a temple, a temple that i have to protect and ensure that it will stay here in Singapore permanently.

The two wooden Gohonzon is simply... i just can't find words to describe it. The joy of seeing it here in Singapore is something i will cherish till death.

I need to be more diligent in my faith and practice and visit the PC, no no no, Temple, more often.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Robbed, by hypnosis

Over at Italy, a bank was robbed. The thief is not armed and he didn't use force. Instead, he hypnotizes the bank clerk to give him the money willingly. Woah! The power of hypnosis! What if he use it to rape females how?

More info here...

I need motivation... lots of it.

Friday is exam day and is also the deadline for my assignment yet here i am, sitting in front of my computer, surfing the net.

I need to tear myself away from my beloved computer, fast...

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Palau Ubin...

It has been a while since i step foot on Palau Ubin, even though it is just a 5 minutes boat ride away. So it was a refreshing experience when i landed on Palau Ubin, a feeling of stepping into a whole new world.

And a whole new world it is. What came to my eyes is not the sight of modern high-rise buildings but houses made from wood, very much similar to those you would find in villages in neighbouring countries. It was like going back to the past of Singapore, but with streaks of modernity lurking in the background. But even so, i still enjoy the peace the island provide and the slower pace of life as compared to the mainland.

Well, what am i doing there you may ask? Cycling lor. And boy, it is a challenge to me. A big one in fact. Even though i know how to cycle, but my level is the noob level and previous bad experiences doesn't help. So, most of the time i was lagging behind and i really appreciate my friends for their patience and advice. Thanks guys. You guys rox!

Anyway, it was fun, really. Initially, we stick to the road, whereby the up slope and down slope are mostly gentle, with a few steep ones occasionally. Little did i know that they provided me with the training i need when we began the second part of our journey. We were back at the jetty after reaching the western end of Ubin when it began to rain. The rain went from shower to downpour. Sitting at a restaurant, we were deciding whether to go back to the mainland or continue to cycle, in the rain. Looking at the crowded jetty and looking at the rain, a decision was made.

We shall continue to cycle and this time, it is destination Chek Jawa.

The trip to Chek Jawa is the most memorable journey. Cycling in the downpour, we were all drenched and dripping water whenever we took a rest at the shelters along the way. Than, halfway through, the only way to Chek Jawa changed from normal road to dirt road. Wah piang, the terrain is, to me, simply mad. I am navigating through a road made of mud with steep slopes in the heavy rain. You must be there to really understand how is it like and i am lucky enough to go through all these without falling to my death or sustaining heavy injuries.

Chek Jawa is awesome. Totally. But too bad it was raining and we were kind of in a rush. If only we can appreciate the beauty of Chek Jawa with time to spare and wearing clothes that don't have water dripping...


On the way there...


Ubin itself...


Note: They are out in the rain.


Chek Jawa

Monday, March 17, 2008

An End usher in a new Beginning

With the opening of our temple, Kofuzan Kaimyo-in, we ushered in a new era. Gone are the days when we don't have a permanent place to practise. Now, we have a permanent place whereby we can carry out our practice in peace. This is the new era, an era whereby we are not fighting to establish a temple, but fighting to protect it from any harm and to ensure the continuity of our temple and the law down the future generations.

This is our new mission, to protect, to practise and to propagate.

Cultural is finally over. All the effort, the sweat and blood is worth it when the performance that is presented before the High Priest is the best of all the runs before it. From the first technical run to the last full dress rehearsal, there is none that is good. Everytime, there is something wrong somewhere. It is either someone miss the cue, the timing is messy or simply there is no soul in the whole performance. But amazingly, in front of the High Priest, everything iron out. In short, the soul of the show is there. In fact, i was almost moved to tears at the finale.

Anyway, the end of the cultural means i am back to my normal life. I guess i will take some time to adapt back to the days where my weekends are not spent on rehearsals...

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Sad...

Our dear terrorist has evaded arrest for almost 2 weeks now. Wah piang. If he is not a terrorist, he can launch a book titled, "Survival: The Mas Selamat Way". How to survive 2 weeks with little or no food? Furthermore, he has to hide from almost everyone, save maybe his family or fellow JI members. I guess we can only say the desire to live - and escape - is what pushes him on.

Anyway, the search yielded unexpected results as the police caught some 40 illegal immigrants during the search.

My goodness. I can only say they are so so so so suay. Haha. You can imagine their stunned and shocked faces when the police turned up. I guess they must be thinking, "Wah lao, why i so suay sia? Terrorist escape but the police managed to find me instead of him. What is this??"

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Go Arsenal!

Arsenal outclassed AC Milan 2-0, cruising through to Champions League Quarter-Final.

Woohoo!

Go Arsenal! Grab that trophy back, for the team, for the fans and for Eduardo da Silva.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

The limping terrorist...

I am so going to kill myself if i continue on my assignment(homework). Writer's block is not an excuse but the block is so big it has block out my brain.

So! To prevent premature death, i decided to do something else! But i kind of wonder is my screw loose when the "something else" is updating my blog.

Wah lao! Writing again! Siao ah!

Anyway, i shall discuss the matter later when i have my private conversation with the wall. Right now, right here in Singapore, we have a terrorist on the loose and it is not the average terrorist hor. He is the leader of the terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah(JI) before his arrest... and escape. Yes i am talking about Mas Selamat bin Kastari, aka the limping-when-he-run terrorist.

7 days and he is still on the loose. This is atrocious, totally. Now, i have totally no confidence in my police force. Letting him escape is one thing. But 1 week has passed and he is still scot-free? Are you kidding me? I am not looking at a country whose land mass is huge, like China or USA. I am looking at a country who was described by a former Indonesia president to be just one red dot. How big is Singapore, seriously? Furthermore, i am not looking at a search force of just few men in blue. The number of people activated is not small and our armed forces is roped in too. So, can anyone explain to me why at this moment there is no news flash to tell me that our dear terrorist is caught?

Furthermore, why are details about him released in parts by parts de? Wah piang, that means if i miss out on today's copy of The Straits Times, i will miss out on some important details about him? What would happen if the details i miss out on happen to be the ones that are necessary for me to recognise him out if he happens to stand beside me? Won't i be accused of being an accomplice in crime just because i failed to recognise him out and report him to the authorities? Wah lao! I cannot take this kind of shock hor! Besides, I don't really like black bean rice you know? So, i would really appreciate if the police would release all the necessary details about our dear terrorist one shot, preferably in flyer or pamphlet form and not parts by parts. Don't first day tell me he is limping than next day tell me he limps only when running. Wah piang!

So, let us all put our hands together and pray that our dear terrorist is apprehended soon so we can all resume our normal life and not be afraid that he might one day pop beside you and ask for food or water. Than, we can also present a nicer image of our police force to the world who has been laughing at them since Mas Selamat's escape. Kenna laugh at is very sia suay okay?

On a side note, it helps when you have a handy guide to help you spot Mas Selamat. Photo courtesy of TalkingCock.com