On the occasion of my sister’s birthday

Mon, 8 Jul 2013
2 min read
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Chair Chair and me, circa 1985
Chair Chair and me, circa 1985

I think this picture best epitomises the relationship between my sister and me for the last two decades (or so) of our lives: she’s always been, like, “LAWEEE!”, and I’ve always been, like, “OK, shure, whatever: love and all that jazz – now leave me to my own devices (which, you may notice – coincidentally – always involves riding a wheeled machine)!”

So to my eldest sister on her 24th birthday (which makes me 21 – and hence, forever young): thank you for being the bestest Chair Chair in the whole wide world.

Thank you for loving me, scolding me (because I don’t listen to orders from anyone but you), sticking up for me, taking shit from our parents so I had it relatively easy, counselling me, listening to me when I just needed someone to listen, being my publicist and editor – I’ll stop here because the bottom-line is that you’re really fucking awesome and I don’t know what I’d do without you, or if I’d be the phatty I am today if you hadn’t been around to whip me into shape (round, that is… haha).

I’m so happy for you (and somewhat envious, though the grass is always greener for green-eyed monsters) because you’re in one of the best places of your life that you’ve ever been in, and I’m very certain you’ll be in equally good places for the rest of your pigletty, sio bak, char siew life.

Keep truffling, and then some, for as we’ve known for all our lives, if you ever want to “LAWEEE!” me, LAWEEE me for a bit, but then leave me to my own devices, because you know I’ll return from where I am to join you where you are one day.

In summary:

I LOVE YOU CHAIR CHAIR! BEST CHAIR CHAIR IN THE WORLD! NO ONE COMES CLOSE! OBESE! okbye

Her World: Ladies, Do the Cheque Dance!

Wed, 1 May 2013
2 min read
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Ladies, Do the Cheque Dance!

My column in this month’s issue of Her World is out!

Ladies, Do the Cheque Dance!
Should men pay on the first date? Should women offer to pay their share? LAREMY LEE offers a suggestion to this age-old conundrum.

I started dating again after ending a long-term relationship last year. After five months out of the game, I quickly found I had to relearn many of its rules. The first – who pays on the first date?

On hindsight, I should’ve asked around first. Unfortunately, I’m prone to adopting a ‘just do, don’t think so much’ mentality, which often leaves me in situations where I have to learn from experience.

First Date #01: Dinner with M.
The conversation flowed smoothly; M and I had quite a bit in common in terms of career decisions and personal interests.

Going well, I thought. Definitely want to see her again.

When the bill arrived, I was all set to pay. But M threw a spanner in the works, saying, “Hey, I don’t have cash – let me pay by card.”

Before my brain could process what was happening, my mouth blurted out, “Er, OK?” M gave me a squinty, sideways glance and primly placed her piece of plastic in the bill folder.

Five seconds later, it hit me like a Ferrari running a red light at Rochor Road: Oh my gosh! I wasn’t supposed to let her pay!

To read the rest of the article, get a copy of the May 2013 issue of Her World from newsstands today!

Losing my religion

Wed, 13 Mar 2013
1 min read
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"The lengths that I will go to/The distance in your eyes"

A post shared by Laremy Lee (@laremylee) on

In the song, Michael Stipe sings the lines “That’s me in the corner/That’s me in the spotlight/Losing my religion”. The phrase “losing my religion” is an expression from the southern region of the United States that means losing one’s temper or civility, or “being at the end of one’s rope.” Stipe told The New York Times the song was about romantic expression. He told Q that “Losing My Religion” is about “someone who pines for someone else. It’s unrequited love, what have you.”


(via Wikipedia)

It’s getting quite troublesome to own and maintain a scooter.

The breakdowns are getting more frequent; the roads are getting more dangerous; and to top it off, it’s becoming harder to get spare parts when I need to replace stuff.

I had to travel all the way down to Bukit Batok today to order a front tyre – a front tyre – for Pooters. I have to go back again on Fri to get it fixed on.

Mind you, this is in the context of having failed an annual roadworthiness inspection – Pooters’s first failure – because the front tyre was worn out (unbeknownst to me), and having to return for another inspection after replacing the tyre.

In Singapore, the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) policy effectively endow your vehicles with 10-year lifespans.

Most people sell sell/change their vehicles when their COEs expire, because it’s the most cost-effective thing to do.

COEs can be renewed – at a price pegged to prevailing rates.

That may not be the most sensible thing to do if you look at the numbers alone; the price of a renewed COE may be more than what the machine itself is worth.

This Monday will mark Pooters’s ninth year of existence. It has one more year to go before circumstances dictate whether I hang on to it – or I send it to the knackery.

I’m leaning toward the latter because, frankly, I’m losing my religion.

On one hand, having your own personal transport in Singapore – regardless of how many wheels it has – really makes you more mobile: a boon in a country with a ‘developing’ (for want of a better word) transport network.

On the other hand, what exactly am I conserving when I hang on to Pooters? Memories? Experiences? An out-of-production scooter?

But at what cost? Shouldn’t I save all the trouble and hassle – the lengths I have to go to – by getting a new scooter?

Should I even get a new scooter at all?

I’m still trying to figure that out.