Just The Wei I Am

a tad pensive now, after reading a couple of blogs. And a little tempted to change my site design so that it looks text-based. Feel like just writing whatever comes to my mind.

I thought of a little song the other day.

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Ode to Photoshop

I was only fourteen years old
And you were two point five.
Back then, you didn't have layers
But we could all get by.
After all, you're the industry standard
After all, you are the top of the line...

Oh my Photoshop (you're right at the top)
Oh my Photoshop (I'm not gonna stop)

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Boohoo, I miss Photoshop.. Something that got my hopes up was that maybe I can afford it! I saw Adobe CS2 Educational at $678 last week at Sim Lim. Ahem, if you think that's expensive, it's not. The mainstream version sells for $2066, so there. I'm just hoping that Adobe Production Studio is also available in Educational. Comes with Photoshop, Premiere, Audition, and *drum roll* After Effects!! I think drumrolls are not enough.. *fireworks* *champagne* *fanfare* *laser show* *public holiday*

Elections
I watched the dialogue session MM Lee had with the bunch of journalists and undergrads on TV. Interesting. When asked whether walkovers meant a lack of mandate, MM Lee's reply was that a no-contest meant that they are doing such a good job, nobody thinks they can do better or that there should be a change - and now that is a mandate. True, true, very enlightening, sir. People complain about a "lack of choice" in Singapore's political economy, but why should we think this is a bad thing?

Perhaps Uncle Sam and his liberal democracy rhetoric, and a post-WWII phobia of anything vaguely authoritarian, has clouded our thinking. Or perhaps we humans are just plain covetous - we see other people having choices (and Uncle Sam saying it's good) and we want choices too. We don't care, we just want choices! Perhaps we should care to look around. Countries with much political choices do not have a stable political climate - we don't have to look very far, just look at Thailand and the Philippines. The average Singaporean is unlikely to take to the streets to protest or strike (yes I know it's illegal) but perhaps this is our fortune. I remember Felicia recounting a strike at the university library when she was on exchange. It just inconvenienced everybody.

We say that Singaporeans are politically apathetic. Well, if things weren't so good, they won't be. MM Lee reminded everyone that politics is not about elections and campaign debates, it is purely about everyday life. Politics is about food, water, shelter, jobs, transportation, quality of life. People in some other countries are politically active, because they're hungry or they're jobless or they're homeless. What we need are talented people in Government to keep ensuring that life is good in Singapore. What we do not need are political choices for the sake of having them.

To summarise :-

It seems good that other countries have political choices.

Reality is:
- their government is not good
- their needs are not met
- they are unhappy
- they want a new government
- they have new choices

For us:
- our government is good
- our needs are met
- we are happy
- we don't think we want a new government
- we don't need new choices

This is what we call apathy and lack of choices? Are we thinking that we should have what others have, without thinking that we don't have it because we have something else better?

Excerpt "Want democracy, choice? Come to the Philippines"
Forum, ST Home H11, 19 April 2006

I watched "Why my vote matters - A dialogue with the Minister Mentor" recently. As a foreigner working in Singapore, it was very interesting to see the difference between the leaders in my country, the Philippines, and the leaders you have here.

...

[MM Lee] is right when he said that a country needs a good government and the system that was put in place for Singapore works very well.

I am one of the thousands of foreigners given a chance to experience a life that is denied us in our own countries. I love living and working in Singapore. I can go about my life feeling safe and protected. I am able to provide a decent life for myself and my family back home. It is a shame that a lot of my countrymen are very talented but there are just not enough jobs. My country has been in political turmoil for as long as I can remember.

When I came here, I realised what I was missing and that every Singaporean enjoys what I had always longed for. Given a choice, I would want to work here for as long as I can, until I go back to my own country to retire.

...

I remember one panellist telling the Minister Mentor that what they would want is to be given a choice. However, sometimes we don't know what we have until we lose it. I don't think many Singaporeans are aware of the things they enjoy because they have had them all this time.

...

In my country, we have democracy, we have freedom, and we have a choice. We have all the natural resources and, yet, we are still poor.

We did not have a good leader for a long time and the freedom to do anything was used as a licence by the leaders to fill their pockets with the country's money.

Yes, we always had a choice, but what is there to choose from? It is very rare to find a leader with so much passion for the country. You have it and I hope you cherish it.

...

Is it really a "choice" that the younger generation wants or is it only the "idea of having a choice"?

Everything is good at the moment; sometimes we want a change so badly that we fail to think about what is really important: Food on the table, a job, an affordable place to live in, a safe and sound existence, a good future for your children and a chance to live in your own country to reap the benefits of what the previous generation struggled to achieve.

I hope that Singapore will continue to move forward. Singapore makes me proud to say I am an Asian. I hope it stays that way for I call this a home away from home.

Sharon Kate Mercado

Was blog-suuurfing this morning. This is to give a tribute to a bunch of great friends. i.e. they are the bunch, I am not in the bunch, geddit? lol

It's evident that these brothers and sisters are so close to one another as their friendship grew over all these long years in church. It's encouraging to see how they're all over the place now, in different groups, in different countries, but yet their affection for one another shows that they are still very much together in their hearts.

Cheers to you, all my big brothers and sisters! Emma, Hanlong, Vivian, Peiks, David, etc.. Gee, they are distinctly one generation.

Well, it's encouraging to see how they've stuck together so many years, through uni, and all these years after graduating. Ok guys, it's our turn to graduate (finally) (incl those postponed for a sem or two =P) ... let not our bond weaken or our friendship fade even as we step into working life (hey, we'll be able to afford better F&B so no excuses haha), being in different groups, and eventually even different countries!

Passed by Centrepoint on my way back to school after church. The zai blind guitarist was there as usual. Oh, but who's that with him? Cynthia! She was standing there, notepad in hand. I asked her what she is doing, and she told me she befriended the guitarist. Now she's consulting about the music she's composing for this year's Christmas service. From her mass mails, it's self-evident that she's putting a lot a lot of effort into this effort. She wants so much for the service to be good, for God's glory! Such is this sister, this unassuming woman with a big love for her God and people.