Sweet.

Sun, 2 Jan 2011
2 min read
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SQ21: Singapore Queers in the Twenty-First Century.

At the National Library now. Decided to take a break from writing by reading something and ventured over to the shelves behind me.

Picked up SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century by Ng Yi-Sheng and could not stop reading the book because the stories are so compelling.

Here’s a nugget that made me chuckle:

The word [that the interviewee was gay] spread higher and higher up the command chain until it reached my course commander, who was this Senior Warrant Office. He was this big Indian man, a really old-fashioned conservative fella, very regimental. Everything had to be in tiptop shape, our boots had to be shiny, our bunks had to be clean all the time, and he was always telling us, “Fucking hell. You all better run faster! You all so slow!”

I realised this could turn into something big, and I was really afraid for a while. But then once, during a lecture, he was saying, “The weekend’s coming. You all are booking out. Why don’t you all go get yourself a fuck? So how many of you got girlfriends?” Various hands went up. “Boyfriends?” Then everyone turned and looked at me, and I was thinking, “Shit you!”

Then the course commander said, “Why? What’s wrong? Why? Who’s anti-gay here?” A few people put up their hands. He pointed his finger and said, “Okay you. Get out of your seat. You also, get out. You go sit over there one corner. You all can form the anti-gay corner over there. (p. 133; emphasis mine)

Go read it if you haven’t already done so!

Stuff you must read today (Sat, 11 Dec 2010)

Sun, 12 Dec 2010
2 min read
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  • What are your favorite culturally untranslateable phrases? | AskReddit

    • I’m extremely fascinated by the imagery used in the Spanish phrases e.g. “A vos te chifla el moño.” – Your bow tie is whistling. (You’re crazy).

  • Gene Smoke | This Rocketship Will Crash

    • “In fact, there hangs the crux of the truth about human desire.”

    “We want what we can’t have.”

    “No, not at all. We want exactly what is right for us, though we are often shocked at what this means.

  • Can we please have another anti-joke thread? | AskReddit

    • This had me LOL-ing for quite a while.

  • Looking again at Streaming | The Secret Political Blog

    • “…what was most important of that was that teachers never gave up on their students, believing that if the students made any mistakes, the teachers were the ones that failed the students, rather than the other way round… .

    Such was their devotion that I benefited heavily from the continual guidance and attention of my teachers despite me failing numerous examinations. If I were in a neighbourhood school, I think I might have been considered as the one that failed the system, and not its victim.”

  • What Makes a Great Teacher? | The Atlantic

    • The blurb: “For years, the secrets to great teaching have seemed more like alchemy than science, a mix of motivational mumbo jumbo and misty-eyed tales of inspiration and dedication. But for more than a decade, one organization has been tracking hundreds of thousands of kids, and looking at why some teachers can move them three grade levels ahead in a year and others can’t. Now, as the Obama administration offers states more than $4 billion to identify and cultivate effective teachers, Teach for America is ready to release its data.”

Condensed thoughts.

Sat, 11 Dec 2010
3 min read
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This is one of the downsides of not having a mobile data plan – being unable to share my very interesting thoughts (yeah, right) with all of you ON THE FLY.

However, the corollary of that would be permanent cyborgism i.e. if I had a mobile data plan, I’d probably be Tweeting and Facebooking non-stop like some of you losers (wei… just kidding).

So in no order of merit but in some order of chronology, here is what has happened over the last two days:

  • Was travelling along Upper Thomson Road yesterday, on my way to Khatib Camp, when I went past Nee Soon Camp. Both sides of the road were lined with cars. I was like: WTF? Is there some large-scale mobilisation or something like that going on? Was simultaneously worried and intrigued at the same time.
  • I realise I have a very deep fascination with military camps – so long as I’m not forced to have to stay in one.
  • Military facilities e.g. camps, live firing areas, etc. in Singapore have some of the most beautiful architecture or scenery in the land but unfortunately, the majority of the people who have the privilege to appreciate this beauty are Philistines. Philistines, I tell you!
  • I have a newfound love and appreciate for the word “Philistine”. Other words I love but rarely have a chance to use: zeugma, anthropomorphic and bond-free.
  • On my way back from Khatib Camp, travelling along the same road, I discovered the reason for the rows of parked vehicles: Friday prayers!
  • It’d be nice to work for PIONEER again. That way I can write and live out my concurrent fascination/repulsion for all things military in Singapore. (There are downsides to this but I shall not discuss them today.)
  • I’ve finally learnt how to work the Closed Stacks system at the National Library. It may be a tad premature to make this judgement, but IMHO, the NUS Closed Stacks > National Library Closed Stacks system.
  • In any case, the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library experience, much like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, has been quite good and user-friendly, so far. Good work, the two librarians – yes, you; the ones who Googled my name.
  • I miss being a student! Somewhat.
  • Munshi Abdullah is hilarious. For some good chucks, please read The Voyage of Abdullah (959.51 ABD).
  • Popcorn. To be elaborated on in a future post (hopefully).

That is all. You may now express your adoration for me by clicking the ‘Like’ button below this post.