Nostalgic Neurons: 08/01/2005

I like what Mr Raymond Lim, some minister in the gahmen, had to say about the importance of reading at the opening of the S'pore Writers Festival.
Excerpt taken from 29 August Straits Times:

Is Singapore a literate society?

... Reading widely helps us expand our frames of reference to understand human beings in a deep, empathetic way, because we have lived their lives in print-- their joys and pain, their triumphs and suffering, their hopes and hardship, the indomitable strength of the human will. A well-read society is a society with individuals who are more empathic, more tolerant, more thoughtful and more imaginative....

Yes, $ingapore is a literate society in terms of whether her people are able to read, but in terms of a well-read society? Noooooooooo...
It is unsurprising that majority of $'poreans in a survey revealed that their strongest motivation for reading was 'career development', NOT for 'leisure' nor 'literary appreciation'. How exciting... *roll eyes*
It's no wonder I like to spell '$ingapore' with a $ sign.

If you are familiar with watches, you will know that watch cases can be made using a range of precious metals. There is yellow gold, rose gold and pink gold (which is similar to rose gold). Now Lee Wah jewelry has come up with purple gold-- eeks, why buy a trinket that looks like costume jewelry?

I have gone yet again on a strap spree, sparked off naturally by the arrival of the Radiomir. I MUST stop. Now awaiting 3 straps (from 3 different strap manufacturers) to be delivered: mustard nubuck, honey croc, and the best of all, aged calf leather strap which, according to the site 'is a close replica of the first fixed sewn straps mounted on the Royal Italian Navy "frogman" watches.'
I'm feeling guilty even as I type, sigh.

Went to Bedok Central hawker centre for carrot cake, and took a Saturday morning stroll at the beach. Felt a bit weird to be on 2 feet rather than 2 wheels. Some teens were kayaking:

And some wrist-shots on the spot:

May go for a ride with Johari later; he has been quite on about cycling now that he has gotten a Merida.

TUESDAY 16 AUGUST: Was at Dunman Secondary as Examiner for O level English Oral Exam. We were down to the last 3 or 4 candidates, when I checked my phone and saw 1 missed call and 2 messages. Checked the missed call, and VOILA, it was from Cortina!! One of the messages was a voice mail, and I did a good job of concealing my impatience to open it till all the candidates were finally done.
Opened the voice mail, and YES, it was the sweet voice of Sunny (Cortina's boutique manager) saying that he has one piece of "two one jee-lo" in his shop today and would I like to take it. This was a call I have been waiting for an agonizing month or so!
Immediately called Sunny's mobile, and without sounding too excited, told him I would come down to his shop for the watch. He said ok ok, I will reserve it for you and you can finish your work then you come down. I told him I am already done for the day, and I would be making my way there right now.
Didn't take too long for me to reach Raffles City, and at Cortina, Sunny handed me the watch for inspection. He told me only one piece has arrived, he saw the waiting list for the 210 and my name was the first (I put it down early during the launch of the Luminor Arktos), so he decided to call me. Not surprisingly, there were 8 or 9 people behind me on the list. He said luckily he stopped one of his staff from taking the watch away to sell. Well, I'm sure he knows I will take the watch for sure.
One sales assistant asked me whether is it I wasn't working today, and I told him I could make it at this time is because I'm a teacher. He asked which school... and nodded when I said I had rushed down from Tampines. This is a case of mai tu liao as he and I know full well that if I had waited a day more, the watch would have gone to another customer faster than you can say 'Officine Panerai'. Settled payment quickly and walked out of the shop happy.

And presenting, the Panerai Radiomir Base model (PAM 210):

For an impression of it's roots, check out this pic of the Vintage 3646 taken from Paneristi:

Thanks Panerai and Bonati, for releasing this very sweet Radiomir.

Stumbled upon this watch site which features strong opinions on watches. Some you will agree with, some will fill you with indignation. Franck Muller AND Panerai happen to be on their Black List, haha!

How these watches came to be on their Black List:
These are the watches that have become a little bit, too overdone, to the point of being nothing special or quiet common. Fashion Victims, Gang'sta Rapas and Sleaze Balls make them part of their "attire", swinging away their arms around for "everybody" to see. What is fashionable to them is responsible for "Black Listing" watches amongst Connoisseurs. Most people that have one own it for the wrong reason...

Here's what the site has to say about Panerai (all of them):
Has become Rancid and Stale. Overhyped, overmarketed and overpriced. Looks great on the ladies though, like the Daytona...

And about the steel Rolex Daytona:
Has become the watch that nobody can get, but everybody has. In trendy Night Clubs around the world it is the most common watch on the dance floor. It has become the object of desire for those that are in desperate need of attention. Sad end for what is one of the nicest Rolex on the market... It only gets my attention if worn by a lady...

And about Franck Muller (all of them):
After the mud slinging and the rumors, they have been heavily discredited (situation worsened by that pathetic attempt to make thinks right by kissing and hugging for the press...). These are undoubtedly the Fashion Victims' favorite. Nothing spells out more that you have and inversely proportional knowledge of watches and money.

I like that last sentence about Franck Muller! And self-deprecatingly enough, the site even has a 'Hate Mail' section where they post unedited comments from site-vistors.

*** I AM NOT GOING TO ORDER OR EAT KFC FOR A LONG LONG TIME ***

Today's the day schools in $ingapore celebrate National Day. Everyone's in a good mood cos school only lasts for 2 hours, and with no lessons some more. It's an opportunity for staff and students to be togged in nationalistic red, and be infused with NE messages and feel-good National Day songs.

The call to wear red received a good response. Look at the riot of red:

Rahayu and Fateema:

Syameen, Asnim, Arithzuan:

Riduwan, Fadhli and Faiz looking smart. They were part of the flag-party for the morning's ceremony:

And presenting again, the boys and girls of class 308:

Other assorted students:

She's not a student...

Presenting: my guinea pig. She has a little wooden house of her own. Rodents just look so adorable that they make you go 'ooooooh...'.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY in advance, SINGAPORE! I still love this country despite her many flaws. Pics below were taken during Senior Sunday School's prayer-walk for the nation on Sunday.