Be kind to animals

Birthday? Doesn't matter; you still filed your copy late! #aggrosubs

A week back, my colleagues celebrated my birthday for me in the office.

The sub-editor decided that poking me in the belly with a knife was a good idea.

Before leaving for my In-Camp Training, I made copies of this picture with the caption “Be Kind To Animals” and pasted them around the office.

Used to love her: A fond farewell to 2013

Whole lot fall in

So!

Pursuant to my previous post which I needed to write to bridge some gaps, I’m now ready to say goodbye to 2013.

I wish I could say it was a fan-fucking-tastic year, in the same way that 2008 was awesome.

Fortunately or unfortunately, 2013 was a year of what could’ve been but wasn’t – for the better, of course.

A recap of the year’s highlights:

  • Did the freelance writer thing and wrote for a range of publications;
  • Went to Toji Cultural Centre in Korea for a two-month-long writing residency;
  • Travelled to Phuket, Hong Kong, Macau and Kuala Lumpur too – all very good getaways;
  • Taught in various capacities over the course of the year;
  • Started a new job at a great place – hopefully, a post on that soon; and
  • Learnt to stop hoarding and cleared out a lot of my old possessions, from clothing to household equipment – a post on that sooner.

The physical clearing out of objects was symbolic too, in terms of feeling less weighed down with tangible and intangible burdens.

And that helped me feel a lot better about myself than I’ve felt in recent years.

Along with that, I’ve sorted out many things in my life and I’m very ready to settle down – marriage and the whole shebang.

On that note, 2013 was relevant because of the dating and learning what I want/who I am looking for.

Without going into too much detail: I loved and I lost, and I loved and I lost, and I loved and I lost.

But I loved every single moment – from the way she arched her back to Instagram the pattern of light shining through the blinds onto my wall; to the way we were wonderful while side-by-side, if only for those fleeting moments; to the way the music made us move in a Dionysian-nectared intensity.

You may have taken away one year of my youth, 2013, but you paid your tab and the debt is squared.

What I took away from you – whether it was at work or with family, friends, lovers, etc. – was:

  • Learning how to set boundaries: to clearly communicate what it is I want and to say no to unreasonable demands on me; and
  • Learning how to let go: to be less sentimental about material and emotional things.

So I’m bidding you a fond farewell, 2013.

I used to love you, but you didn’t live up to your potential.

I’m letting you go, like how I’ve let go of the many other things for me to be free, and move on, and move up.

I’m leaner, I’m lighter and I’m ready for you, 2014.

Let’s go.

Summing up before moving on

"Hello, I don't have anything to print at the moment... Sorry about that."
“Hello, I don’t have anything to print at the moment… Sorry about that.”

Wow! That was a long hiatus.

Besides publicising a couple of events/articles I wrote (what’s worse: some posts are backdated D:), I haven’t posted regularly since late October.

No prizes for guessing why – I was busy with many things and I thought I’d list them briefly here for posterity:

(To be honest, I don’t really like consolidated posts like these; I feel they’re a bit of a cop-out and besides, if the moment has passed, we should just let it go.

But I know I need to sum up what’s been going on before I can move on to two very important upcoming posts I need to make.)

  1. I was stuck in deadline purgatory for quite a fair bit.

    For one, I contributed an article to Article (LOL) for the Singapore Biennale 2013.

    Singapore Biennale 2013 media preview
    Singapore Biennale 2013 media preview

    The Biennale is pretty awesome, BTW, so do check it out if you haven’t already done so.

    Spirit level; level spirits
    Spirit level; level spirits

    I also contributed a couple of theatre reviews to The Straits Times Life! section – you can read snippets of the articles here.

  2. Scooter issues… ZOMG. Read the updates here.
  3. Took a short trip up to KL to escape for a while + do some writing + take a holiday since I can’t take one until March 2014 (explained in a subsequent bullet point).

    Fierce Curry House in Kuala Lumpur
    Fierce Curry House in Kuala Lumpur
  4. Moderated New Word Order featuring Dan Koh, the Singapore Creative Writing Resident 2013.

    Me and Dan at the reading (PHOTO CREDIT: Joanna Koh)
    Me and Dan at the reading (PHOTO CREDIT: Joanna Koh)
  5. I can’t go on leave yet because… I started a new job!

    What’s it about?

    I’m not going to discuss what I’m doing because I want to devote a post to this.

    So all I’m going to say is: news embargoed until further notice.

  6. Was a groomsman and a dinner emcee for Lucas Ho’s wedding.

    Pooters got in on the act too! Unfortunately I haven't managed to repaint it.
    Pooters got in on the act too! Unfortunately I haven’t managed to repaint it.
  7. Celebrated SG Tipsy Trivia’s first anniversary! And we received some media coverage too.
    Oh – and guess who was at that evening's SG Tipsy Trivia!
    Oh – and guess who was at that evening’s SG Tipsy Trivia!

    BONUS: Surprise Siew Kum Hong.

So it was a busy but fun two months, hence the radio silence.