Uncle T
30 Jun 2006
My Stage, My Act 11:15 am
My Stage, My Act
"Small people, like me,
really can make a difference"
-Silas Siakor
-Silas Siakor
Uncle T
I have Her to walk me home 10:57 am
It's my last day at work, and about to complete the autobiographical work of Marsalis. Received my Warwick parcel yesterday, which was after dinner with Ruijie. That was a day after a musical episode with Clarence.
Small moments that take up barely half of a week. Yet, these are episodes that linger for the longest time, and goes deep, deep to the core. Homecoming. I'm standing at that pivotal points, a harbinger to a greater or lesser era of my life.
So many questions, uncertainties lie ahead. But cliched as it may sound, its all about finding ourselves, homecoming.
It is so easy to be swept up by the tide of routine, the wave of mediocrity. It takes too much energy to break inertia, so an individual character is subsumed into the vastness of nearly-homogeneous products.
Thus, it's all about coming back to yourself, coming home. Extremely near, yet painfully far, that ride back to your spiritual crib. Shit happens, and it WILL happen, but just remember the walk back home.
I'm blessed. I have Her to walk me home. And yes. Jazz, in the bittersweet blues of life
Uncle T
Small moments that take up barely half of a week. Yet, these are episodes that linger for the longest time, and goes deep, deep to the core. Homecoming. I'm standing at that pivotal points, a harbinger to a greater or lesser era of my life.
So many questions, uncertainties lie ahead. But cliched as it may sound, its all about finding ourselves, homecoming.
It is so easy to be swept up by the tide of routine, the wave of mediocrity. It takes too much energy to break inertia, so an individual character is subsumed into the vastness of nearly-homogeneous products.
Thus, it's all about coming back to yourself, coming home. Extremely near, yet painfully far, that ride back to your spiritual crib. Shit happens, and it WILL happen, but just remember the walk back home.
I'm blessed. I have Her to walk me home. And yes. Jazz, in the bittersweet blues of life
Uncle T
Finally, after 3 months... 10:49 am
Yup, its been that long, 3 months since I first took up the job. It was been a ride complete with drama, thrills, frustrations, long travels...Fulfilling, and terribly insightful into the real world, the one that the education system has sheltered me from.
I've learnt much, even from the most unexpected sources. Worked in a warehouse, drove a forklift, implemented work process changes, rode in a Maerati sports coupe, investigated an industrial death, risk assessment, get proposals thrown out of the window...
I cannot have asked for more. It is now time to look ahead, look at the greater adventure ahead. It is finally happening for me, for my peers. We have had a 2.5 year hiatus from a reality that potentially may hit us hard in the near future. Yet, I think the NS boys have something that we gained that will somehow see us through most of the crap that lies ahead. Contentious point, but a probably valid one nonetheless.
So world, here I come. Little boy, here comes the World. Its gonna be big.
Uncle T
I've learnt much, even from the most unexpected sources. Worked in a warehouse, drove a forklift, implemented work process changes, rode in a Maerati sports coupe, investigated an industrial death, risk assessment, get proposals thrown out of the window...
I cannot have asked for more. It is now time to look ahead, look at the greater adventure ahead. It is finally happening for me, for my peers. We have had a 2.5 year hiatus from a reality that potentially may hit us hard in the near future. Yet, I think the NS boys have something that we gained that will somehow see us through most of the crap that lies ahead. Contentious point, but a probably valid one nonetheless.
So world, here I come. Little boy, here comes the World. Its gonna be big.
Uncle T
29 Jun 2006
Proud, so proud. 8:25 am
Josephians salute your Alma Mater She reigns majestically fair...
Hail, Hail Alma Mater,
Hail to SJI...
And Josephians shall enter the fray
As enlightened warriors
To the sound of Lasallian bugles
With heart of true Josephians,
Character of true leaders,
True servants.
Uncle T
The Josephian Video. 8:11 am
The video that inspired. Perhaps only some may come to feel the same way I do when I watch the video. If not, enjoy it as a good commercial. :) Proud, so proud.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1187505291354348873
Uncle T
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1187505291354348873
Uncle T
28 Jun 2006
openmic 10:47 am
...open mic tonight library at esplanade armed with a new approach hope this is a stepping stone to more complex musical ideas and themes would also like to see audience reaction to such an approach yet i lack adequate preparation so let's hope the spirit of the music carries forth my performance clarence can't join me and that's sad its hard to jazz things up alone schedules in our ferraried world no time for music
jazz, in the bittersweet blues of life.
Uncle T
jazz, in the bittersweet blues of life.
Uncle T
27 Jun 2006
Enter stage right, left, centre... 3:38 pm
Orders smoked salmon with light cream sauce and diced vegetables, garnished with sprouts and corriander...
Rows of tables set up, with glasses and water pitchers for individuals. Along with mints and writing paper. Enter press, ambassador, Fulbright scholars, professors, academic luminaries, Asian Development Bank Vice-president, Singapore Minister, Eisenhower fellows, diplomats, World Bank consultant, business leaders, chandeliers, 3-course meal that you don't even know how to eat (but tastes helluva good)...
How do you even find a seat in such a setup? You become a prop. But if you were to be a prop that keeps its ears pealed, you find yourself being IN the whole act. You're on the stage. Together with the rest of the various stakeholders.
No matter how small one was, you were a stakeholder at such a gathering. I was there. Prop now, proponent/actor later (10-20 years later. but still...ha!). I would be privileged if I could contribute in one way or another to that new stage sometime down the road.
The New Stage of East Asian Integration.
Such an ideal. Will we ever reach that? But with all the intellect walking around me yesterday afternoon at the Four Seasons, I choose to believe that a good effort towards that end is in store. Literally, I could have thrown a stone in that room (but see, don't think 5-star hotels allow stones) I would hit a genius. Man.
Uncle T
Rows of tables set up, with glasses and water pitchers for individuals. Along with mints and writing paper. Enter press, ambassador, Fulbright scholars, professors, academic luminaries, Asian Development Bank Vice-president, Singapore Minister, Eisenhower fellows, diplomats, World Bank consultant, business leaders, chandeliers, 3-course meal that you don't even know how to eat (but tastes helluva good)...
How do you even find a seat in such a setup? You become a prop. But if you were to be a prop that keeps its ears pealed, you find yourself being IN the whole act. You're on the stage. Together with the rest of the various stakeholders.
No matter how small one was, you were a stakeholder at such a gathering. I was there. Prop now, proponent/actor later (10-20 years later. but still...ha!). I would be privileged if I could contribute in one way or another to that new stage sometime down the road.
The New Stage of East Asian Integration.
Such an ideal. Will we ever reach that? But with all the intellect walking around me yesterday afternoon at the Four Seasons, I choose to believe that a good effort towards that end is in store. Literally, I could have thrown a stone in that room (but see, don't think 5-star hotels allow stones) I would hit a genius. Man.
Uncle T
26 Jun 2006
...in the bittersweet blues of life. 6:11 am
Orders some emo-aid...Dutch exit
Awaking before the relentless machinery of urban routine (rituals?) fires its engine, while silence reigns (for once), save for the cries of World Cup passions, is nice.
Waking before the drone begins gives one control. So rare a commodity in the life of the urbanite.
Victory and defeat. Passion and imposed schedule. Freedom and constraint. Bittersweet. Sad plus happy equals blues.
Yet, there's jazz. Improvisation within a form. Through creativity, emotion, genius, to uplift a mere form into an art. As from language into poetry. As a building houses various entities at different floors; clinic, spa, newsroom, office, boss and secretary (after office hours, that is)...Jazz. In the bittersweet blues. Of life.
Daddy's finally home. The fishes missed him.
As the sun peeks quietly over, not ancient and cultured gables, tiles ostentatious nouveau richness, the little island of mine starts that cycle, yet again.
Marsalis in the morning, before dawn. Jazz. In the bittersweet blues of life.
Uncle T
Awaking before the relentless machinery of urban routine (rituals?) fires its engine, while silence reigns (for once), save for the cries of World Cup passions, is nice.
Waking before the drone begins gives one control. So rare a commodity in the life of the urbanite.
Victory and defeat. Passion and imposed schedule. Freedom and constraint. Bittersweet. Sad plus happy equals blues.
Yet, there's jazz. Improvisation within a form. Through creativity, emotion, genius, to uplift a mere form into an art. As from language into poetry. As a building houses various entities at different floors; clinic, spa, newsroom, office, boss and secretary (after office hours, that is)...Jazz. In the bittersweet blues. Of life.
Daddy's finally home. The fishes missed him.
As the sun peeks quietly over, not ancient and cultured gables, tiles ostentatious nouveau richness, the little island of mine starts that cycle, yet again.
Marsalis in the morning, before dawn. Jazz. In the bittersweet blues of life.
Uncle T