To & Fro

Well... some family friends moved on to Melbourne on Monday... the feeling is strange. With the world so connected (already had emails and chatted on online) it seems small yet also far.

Hope I get to go over real soon. Miss them already. =)

OSeven

the year has started... and already... so many things are & have been happening...but more so... I think I'm facing them well... Feel and know that I am a lot free-er, more joyful and strong.

The key thing is the centrality of God. Indeed with Him as my centre... circumstances may change, people may leave, people may change, society may twist, the weather may be crazy, my feelings may be awry... but He does not shift. He is good. He is B-I-G and He loves me.

Yepz... this week alone... my sec sch best friend gave birth... and wow... another life's milestone. One of my favourite families is confirmed leaving for Aust end Jan... I met my youth pastor and youth leaders of FIFTEEN YEARS ago!!! Yeah... life changes rapidly... but glad I have a strong, unbendable anchor.

I think I've also grown... and this sentence really spoke to me. On Ch 5, they interviewed the guy who lost his legs to polio yet went on to compete with wheels. He said this that captured my heart - "I work with what I have, not with what I do not". This sentence has been ringing in my heart and mind for weeks. I think a huge part of my life I've been comparing and complaining deep down that I am not enough, I do not have enough, I am disadvantaged, I am not privileged. I'm slowly recognising...whenI start to look at what I have, its actually a LOT. Wow. Dunno why I never saw this. But just seeing this, really frees me to go all out and grow, learn and develop my skills. I start to be really happy - with what I can do - just painting, playing the piano, creating jewellery, craft... and wow. Its amazing.

To also hear how people still remember/ keep my cards, to hear how people like my art... really blows me away. I feel free to create. Never before. Glad.

Will walk on... and really hope to create a lot more... dreaming of doing window displays, flower art, fashion design, font design, art exhibitions, jewellery design... totally inspired by Haji lane.

Life is fun. Glad to be my age. Glad to be where I am. Glad to look forward. More to come!

Volks Folks.

haha... big cars seldom make my head turn... but small retro cars do. Grin... been seeing different VW cars around... hahaha...

#1 The Good O' Beetle - in the old forrm - ROCKS!


#2 OMG this is a REALLY old VW - Hitler's times. Once saw this on Pimp my Ride. Heh.


#3 Pretty in Pink - Ha! This new beetle has eyelashes!


#Hello Hello Hello Kitty - This must be a crazed fan! Check out her upholstery!!!


Let's see what other VWs I will find next few weeks...

Grin.

Sense of Wonder & Awe

Being a kid - always... is something I want to be -not childish but not losing the sense of wonder, awe and curiosity - of wanting to find out more of the world and trusting people despite the repeated disappointments, the bad experiences, the falls, the pains. To dare try. To dare love. No wonder Jesus said - be like kids always!

I like what Johnny Depp said in relation to "Finding Neverland" - a brilliant movie! Love the imagination and the power of it:

“Children are children for a very short period of time and all too soon the weight of the world starts throwing layers of muck on your shoulders and we lose some of the qualities we have as children, a kind of curiousity about things, a fascination with things, an openness to things and we become jaded very early, especially in this day and age. You are going to grow up and be an adult but maintain these beautiful things."

Ties

went back to visit CP peeps. was fun.

always rather emo gg back - esp seeing the kids grow up =). heh. bet half of them dun remember me... as with kids... but those in sec sch/JC now still misses me (*awwwww)... glad to join in the new beginning.

just put down the phone with Rachy L... hahaha... she laughs at me being ten years her senior....lol... but its a privilege to walk with her... to go further... love her... she's so sweet, appreciative, smart, vocal, crazy, fun and silly... still want to be there for her til i pass. heh. such is family. =)

Tomorrow... tomorrow...

" Tomorrow tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow..."

heh. can't stop singing this lovely song. Yeah yeah... its a typical rags to riches story but somehow this song really pierced through - the hope that's available. Cure for blues.

maybe it speaks to me about adoption - now I have God as Daddy... and also running back to Daddy's arms... there's always something special about that.

Grin... the infectious musical... can't stop prancing around the house... "Tomorrow tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow, You're always a day awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

The sun'll come out
tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
that tomorrow
there'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about
tomorrow
clears away the cobwebs,
and the sorrow
'til there's none

When I'm stuck with a day,
that's grey,
and lonely
I just stick out my chin
and grin,
and say


The sun'll come out
tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'til tomorrow
come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
a day
away!

When I'm stuck with a day,
that's grey,
and lonely
I just stick out my chin
and grin,
and say

The sun'll come out
tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'til tomorrow
come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
a day away!

Musings on the topic of Art

I think "what is art?" is a question that baffled many in the past, now and even Singaporeans.

Last year, I started researching on "the arts"... asking the value of the arts, questioning the existence of it, the purpose of it etc... which led me to reading, talking, discussing, thinking. Hmm... think I'm finally getting somewhere.

>> The Question
As with many of life's ambiguities, people in the past and present have plenty of philosophies / comments on life's questions. Some say that Art is only art if "the art world" says it is. Some say that Art is only art if the intentions of the artist reflects a certain view point. Some say that only some people can appreciate art and some cannot. Some say that Art is sacred and needs to be moral. Hahah... the list goes on. So what exactly is it?

I think I've found a rather satisfactory "definition" "A work of art is anythin that anyone has ever considered work of art, though it may be a work of art only for that one person."

In this statement, it challenges some thoughts:
1. Who is to say what is art and not? Is the "art world" obsolete now in our pluralistic society? In relativism? Yes, I respect history, I honor previous systems. Yet I also challenge them because every system is flawed and its relevance to the current times are essential.

2. Are all art good?
All art can be good or bad - depending on the value to which people tag to it. A piece of art may speak to someone, but not to another. This erases defensivenes... esp with the egos of the people... The masses vs elite thing. Some 'art' can only be appreciated by 'the higher society'. Does liking something that 90% of the people dislike make one "higher" or "better"? Does being able to grasp the abstract make someone "superior"? What is wrong if one enjoys what most people enjoy? Hmm... need to think through this a bit more...

3. What is the value of art?
I think this is a typical Singaporean question. Overheard a typical conversation of 3 students at Kinokuniya... where 2 of them were sharing with another friend about their interest in art history and pointing out who their favourite artists were. Then the student asked them back "Huh? I thought you all are NUS students ah. Why need to know all this?" And the answer the 2 art lovers gave were "It is interesting!".

Was really amused by this conversation. Grin. So typical Singaporean - where the arts do not make money... therefore it is of "no value" to the society. Everything, every action, every sowing, every minute of studying, working, is to plough for the Singaporean dream - earn a lot of money so one does not need to be a road sweeper and hopefully get the 5 Cs.

Hmm... LOL. Yeah... people may think that I'm bohemian. But I'm actually very Singaporean - understanding the practicalities of life. BUT I am learning to trade a part of the Singaporean dream for my dreams, my enjoyment and the pleasures that come forth from exploring the arts. Its fun. Yeah... not all things in life can make money... and not all things in life also equate to money.

Understand that many in Singapore struggle to make ends meet... but many who have the means also push themselves for a 'better' life. Just as the definition of art... we all choose to define our lifes ourselves and pay the price and consequence for it. =)