Last week I was sitting next to a Malay elderly lady while waiting outside the consultation room at the Polyclinic. She asked me something in Malay. I did not understand everything but I guessed she asked me if I had been waiting long. 10 minutes only. I gave her a three-word reply in Malay.
Then she started talking to me in Malay. Oh no, I don't understand. So I told her so with six Malay words - 'my malay no good cannot speak'. She understood and nodded.
Actually I took a Malay course for beginners long ago at night classes conducted by the Adult Education Board which had many courses for adults who wanted to improve themselves. There is no more AEB now. I think beginners was equivalent to mid-primary level.
Malay is our National Language, you know.
After many years of neglect and unuse, I think 95% of what I learnt were already forgotten. The title words belong to the remaining 5%. (Anyone knows if unuse can be used as a noun?)
So if you are learning a language or want to improve in it, you must use it - speak, read and write.
September 26, 2008
September 24, 2008
Opera snippets
These pictures are from a recent opera magazine.
Leong Siu Meng, wife and son
His troupe's HQ and dormitory
Rehearsing for a coming show
Here are 4 huadans without opera make-up. Can you recognize them?
Leong Siu Meng, wife and son
His troupe's HQ and dormitory
Rehearsing for a coming show
Here are 4 huadans without opera make-up. Can you recognize them?
September 16, 2008
SINGPOST
I just paid a parking fine at Sing Post. It was really a penalty for my own carelessness rather than a fine for violating any parking rule.
It was quite windy. I guess when I banged the door shut, a gust of wind lifted up the parking coupon from the edge of the dashboard and then it drifted down onto the floorboard.
The receipt for the parking fine was a long one because it got a lot of free things. You just have to show the receipt to get them:
1. Additional 5% petrol discount at all Caltex Stations.
2. Get $1 off Shaw movie ticket.
3. Get 5% off your bill at KBox.
I suppose these are to encourage you to use SingPost and not encourage you to break traffic rules.
Until recently, I didn't know you can pay road tax at SingPost. I used to pay road tax at my insurance company, INCOME. And you can pay other bills at SingPost too. Sometimes you can also buy things like computers and cameras. This branch I went to also has an officer from an insurance company to give you advice.
Once upon a time the post-office was just place where you went to post letters or buy stamps.
It was quite windy. I guess when I banged the door shut, a gust of wind lifted up the parking coupon from the edge of the dashboard and then it drifted down onto the floorboard.
The receipt for the parking fine was a long one because it got a lot of free things. You just have to show the receipt to get them:
1. Additional 5% petrol discount at all Caltex Stations.
2. Get $1 off Shaw movie ticket.
3. Get 5% off your bill at KBox.
I suppose these are to encourage you to use SingPost and not encourage you to break traffic rules.
Until recently, I didn't know you can pay road tax at SingPost. I used to pay road tax at my insurance company, INCOME. And you can pay other bills at SingPost too. Sometimes you can also buy things like computers and cameras. This branch I went to also has an officer from an insurance company to give you advice.
Once upon a time the post-office was just place where you went to post letters or buy stamps.
September 14, 2008
Choya
This is a Japanese fruit liqueur. According to the label it is 100% honey and also got royal jelly. Bought this bottle from the DFS at Changi Airport last year. Never tried this before. I like the dull-looking fruits in the bottle.
Two days ago I performed the opening ceremony. Hee hee, I even had a 'guest-of-honour' - Samak. He was on tv.
I drank some mixed with ice. At first I thought it would be like those cream liquor which are too sweet for my liking. But no, it is not too sweet - sweetness merged with some sourness. The taste suits me. You can also mix it with hot water.
Alcohol 15% which is quite low compared to the 40% in cognac and whisky.
Today is Mid-Autumn Festival.
Cheers, everyone.
Two days ago I performed the opening ceremony. Hee hee, I even had a 'guest-of-honour' - Samak. He was on tv.
I drank some mixed with ice. At first I thought it would be like those cream liquor which are too sweet for my liking. But no, it is not too sweet - sweetness merged with some sourness. The taste suits me. You can also mix it with hot water.
Alcohol 15% which is quite low compared to the 40% in cognac and whisky.
Today is Mid-Autumn Festival.
Cheers, everyone.
September 08, 2008
Beer girls
Two evenings ago I went to the upgraded food centre at Smith Street, Chinatown, and walked around the place to have a look. I have been there just after the upgrading but didn't walk around.
It was quite warm. No rain today. There were quite a lot of people. A few stalls I used to patronize are still there. The lady boss at Heng Kee still remembers me although I really didn't eat there often.
At one section there were groups of men drinking beer at several tables. A few already have several empty beer bottles on their tables. It reminded me of something interesting.
It was before the upgrading. I was having dinner with a friend at a stall. At a table nearby some men were drinking beer and having food. One middle-age dark-skin man was smoking and later he let the cigarette butt drop onto the floor.
I happened to be looking in that direction and saw it, but I was not thinking about littering. Maybe I looked at him one second too long. A surprising thing happened.
After hesitating for a second or two, he picked up the butt and put it on a plate on the table. Unexpected, right?
Later we had a good laugh. Hahaha! Maybe he has been fined before and he thought I was an officer from the Environment Ministry.
Ops! Nothing about beer girls yet, wait you say my title misleading ... Well, I also saw two beer girls serving beer at the tables but they were not the young sexy type.
Old Picture
Movie and opera stars of yesteryears - can you recognize any of them ...
It was quite warm. No rain today. There were quite a lot of people. A few stalls I used to patronize are still there. The lady boss at Heng Kee still remembers me although I really didn't eat there often.
At one section there were groups of men drinking beer at several tables. A few already have several empty beer bottles on their tables. It reminded me of something interesting.
It was before the upgrading. I was having dinner with a friend at a stall. At a table nearby some men were drinking beer and having food. One middle-age dark-skin man was smoking and later he let the cigarette butt drop onto the floor.
I happened to be looking in that direction and saw it, but I was not thinking about littering. Maybe I looked at him one second too long. A surprising thing happened.
After hesitating for a second or two, he picked up the butt and put it on a plate on the table. Unexpected, right?
Later we had a good laugh. Hahaha! Maybe he has been fined before and he thought I was an officer from the Environment Ministry.
Ops! Nothing about beer girls yet, wait you say my title misleading ... Well, I also saw two beer girls serving beer at the tables but they were not the young sexy type.
Old Picture
Movie and opera stars of yesteryears - can you recognize any of them ...
September 06, 2008
Rediffusion
Rediffusion is selling Lee Dai Soh 6-CD box sets. The CDs, titled 蛇鬼山斗蛊記, cost S$18 per set and come in very attractive packaging. (Lee Dai Soh was a well-known story-teller in the 60s and 70s.)
Those who subscribe to Rediffusion will get a Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) receiver set free-of-charge. The set produces crisp, clear and interference-free digital sound.
If you are interested please read this post for details: http://victorkoo.blogspot.com/2008/09/rediffusion-and-big-fool-lee.html
Those who subscribe to Rediffusion will get a Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) receiver set free-of-charge. The set produces crisp, clear and interference-free digital sound.
If you are interested please read this post for details: http://victorkoo.blogspot.com/2008/09/rediffusion-and-big-fool-lee.html
September 04, 2008
September 02, 2008
youku
Do you know there are quite a lot of Chinese (including Cantonese) opera videos at youku.com? And a few videos are very long. I think youku doesn't have the 10-minute limit as in YouTube. But youku is in Chinese.
Someone sent me a mail recommending me to use youku.
Here are some cantonese operas at youku:
http://www.youku.com/playlist_show/id_639811.html
At Kreta Ayer People's Theatre, last Saturday:
See, a man sitting at side of the third row had set his cam to take videos of the shows but his cam was poking up so high. I was sure it blocked the views of some people. Sure enough, later two women complained to a lady, I think a member of the organizing committee, and she changed their seats. What about those who didn't complain? Luckily it didn't block me. I think the organizers shouldn't allow this (the video cam blocking the audience).
I saw this happened before. Then, one brave woman went up to the man and I guessed she told him off.
Someone sent me a mail recommending me to use youku.
Here are some cantonese operas at youku:
http://www.youku.com/playlist_show/id_639811.html
At Kreta Ayer People's Theatre, last Saturday:
See, a man sitting at side of the third row had set his cam to take videos of the shows but his cam was poking up so high. I was sure it blocked the views of some people. Sure enough, later two women complained to a lady, I think a member of the organizing committee, and she changed their seats. What about those who didn't complain? Luckily it didn't block me. I think the organizers shouldn't allow this (the video cam blocking the audience).
I saw this happened before. Then, one brave woman went up to the man and I guessed she told him off.
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