random thoughts (aka filler blog post)

babies- funny things happen when grown adults see babies. The thing is babies grow. Babies grow fast. So whenever someone see's a baby they will exclaim ,"Wah! So big already!" or crap like "Eeeeee!Grow so fast one!". It is as though they did not expect the baby to grow from the last time they saw it. Imagine if after 3 months the baby still looked the same and remained the same size. Still bald, still no teeth, still sleeping all day. ..

cars- I know what the garmen can do to prevent the explosion of vehicular traffic on the congested Singapore roads. They can ban cars! It seems all manner of tax, fines and miscellaneous fees have failed to discourage people from owning cars. The authorities can build and rebuild new roads, impose ever increasing ERP rates or raise the cost of COE's to no avail. Singaporeans just love their cars. They would rather die than not own one if financially possible. It is after all one of our 5 C's.
But the question remains, how do we get around without cars? We do boast of a world class public transportation system. An almost islandwide rail system with the impending circle line. More taxi's per person than most other places. And what we claim is the most extensive network of buses found anywhere. But how about trishaws? Read in the papers some stuff about trishaws and how their business has been hit by new regulations and trishaw cartels in the CBD area. With the advent of motorised trishaws, trishaw riding (or pushing) is no longer the domain of old men and many younger guys are taking it up as a vocation.
Or bicycles? If we could find some way to integrate the public transport system with cycling it would be cool. The main inhibition to riding would be the humid weather and the above mentioned road conditions which make it inherently unfeasible to cycle especially in a suit and tie.

music - Why is there no great music made these days? There are good songs, songwriters and talented artists around, but yet no really great music being made. No music that I would listen to 20 to 30 years down the line. In fact nothing that my kids would want to listen to.

Reading The Hidden Life of Dogs by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. Great book. Gives real insight into the psyche of our waggy tailed pals or at least it sheds some light into what a poochie would think. If I had any grouse it would be that the book is too light on words(read:short). Or it may be that it is such a good read that you can just lose yourself in it. I am like 2/3 through it already although I spent like total 3 hrs reading I think.

Watch the ominously titled Wallace & Gromit:The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Loved it! I love animated features, but stop-motion films are an art unto themselves. It was laugh out loud hilarious at parts. It did not hurt that there were only less than 10 people in the theater. So it was cold and empty. It was almost like we had the room entirely to ourselves. The film is one I would recommend anyone to watch. It is aimed mainly at the kid demographic, but adults can enjoy all the in-jokes and pop references ,not unlike the great stuff coming out of Dreamworks studios.
rating: 4 1/2 wabbit foot prints out of 5

new fish tank is up. This time it is more subdued in terms of lighting and furnishings (if you can call it that). Using mainly dark brown driftwood, dark pebbles and tall artificial plants I tried to recreate the effect of a stream at dusk and think I succeeded for the most part. I bought some corydoras,upside down catfishs, clown loaches (for colour and life),some plecos and a catfish like piscean(not quite sure what he is,but I found him in a tank with other catfish ).Being that most of the fish I got are rather inactive and bottom feeders, I am tempted to get a few othersto inhabit the upper and middle regions if I can find some compatible species without having to spend a fortune. Also more corys and loaches would be in order, being that both are group creatures and do best in larger schools.

Funny how candles can set up the mood in a room. Last night Agnes and I used candles mounted atop my aromatheraphy burner. We normally use the lights from night lights, my stereo or the fish tank to illuminate the room, but I find candles work best hen you want to mke it romantic. The flicker of the candles as they burn and the warm glow emitted is hard to duplicate despite advances in lighting technology.

I do not make new year resolutions. But I think I want to lose my tummy that I have been cultivating ever since me and Aggie got together. I have always wanted to gain weight but could not for some reason. But now I have a tummy! Yayyy!! So ever since this thing developed in my mid region I have been rather proud of it, whereas others try hard to get rid of tummy's like mine. Despite all Agnes's imploring, I have maintained it and have even nursed it to ..errm...wider...umm...widths. But I guess the novelty of having a tummy has worn rather thin (*cough*) and maybe I should go for a leaner, meaner profile for this year.