Rest In Peace

It might be just a coincident, one of the victims from the dragon boat tragedy did write a song which is similar with what I wrote in East Coast - The Heart of the Sea on 21 Oct 07: the sea was calling me back “home” . Both of them are about Back Home and both cases are related to water - sea & river. People now discuss about whether he (the victim) already knew that he was going Back Home soon when he wrote the song.

I wish all the victims rest in peace at HOME . Just like what the song about:
The best dream came, when I was dreaming them at home. Back home.

Below is the song – <Back Home>.

There’s a place that you will always know
It is where your heart knows it’s home
And if you need to run from trouble or despair
It is where to go
Run back home
I went faraway to see the world alone
To places in my dreams
But the best dreams came
when I was dreaming them at home
Every bird sees the sky as its home
To just fly and be free is a joy
Each night I have dreamt of being free to fly
But I’ve always known
They sky is not home
I went far away to see the world alone
To places in my dreams
But the best dream came
When I was dreaming them at home
The best dream came
When I was dreaming them at home
Back home




Below article is from: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHrSG1LSfZz_hSF7W5Z8HHB22Igg
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Singaporeans found dead after Cambodia boat accident

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Rescue workers have recovered the bodies of five Singaporean men who were killed in a dragon boat accident during Cambodia's annual water festival, police said Sunday.

The boat carrying 22 men capsized late Friday as it tried to dock on Phnom Penh's Tonle Sap river after competing in a race during the festival. More than 200 Cambodian navy sailors and fishermen, joined by seven divers and a medic from Singapore, scoured the river over the weekend searching for the five.

"All the missing Singaporeans were found, and now the mission has ended," police chief Touch Naruth told reporters on Sunday. Seventeen Singaporeans were also injured in the accident, which happened on the first day of races.

Nhim Vanda, from Cambodia's National Committee for Disaster Management, said the tragedy occurred because of currents in the river. "There was a very strong whirlpool around the port area they were returning to, and it hit the boat," he said, adding that the men were not wearing life jackets.

Relatives of the dead visited the site of the accident late Saturday, with most unable to hold the tears back as they silently surveyed the river where their loved ones had been swept away.

Business Trip = Love and Hate Story

I love travel and hope I can have an opportunity to travel over 100 countries in my life even though I know it is difficult to achieve my dream.

Before I had a chance to go for a business trip, sometime I did envy people who have a chance to go for it not only because it is a free trip but also have a difference exposure to work with people from difference countries and cultures.

However, after I have the opportunity, I realized that a business trip can be no fun at all. Somehow I can use the word “troublesome” to descript it.

Before go for a business trip, I have to list down all my outstanding tasks and make sure they have been well taking care of. Then I have to plan for the date when to go for the trip which must avoid all the project timelines.

Before and after the trip, I need to fill in number of forms like travel request form, expense request form, claim form, entertainment expense form and a lot more together attach with all the expense receipts and exchange rate receipt from bank or money changer. Those preparations do take me few days even 1-2 weeks to do that. After that, still have to go through the request forms with bosses and get approval.

For me, since have so many tasks on hands, business trip is considered an extract task which does eat into my project timelines. So, business trip can be very stressful for me.

Now I know why some of my friends have bad comments about business trip. I do feel the pain and the frustration now. For me, I rather pay for my own trip than go for a business trip. Trip that I pay which I only need to apply for leave and go without filling any form and get approval. The most important thing is I can enjoy the trip that I pay for.

Like what people always say: There is not free lunch under the sun. I am very sure a business trip is not a free lunch.

These few days I am so busy at filling in travel forms, negotiate for leave and cleaning backlogs. From my face, everybody can tell how frustration I am. Only thing that can cheers me up is the plan for my vacation to Paris and celebrate X’mas with my friends in London. However, still negotiate for my leave. A NO for my leave application can easily destroy all my plans. The only thing I can do now is pray for myself.

Body Combat

A friend invited me to attend a Body Combat class. 1st time attended the class tonight and it was very fun but so tired. After half done for the class I almost wanted to shake a white flag and give up. In the end, we were doing push up. When I heard the instructor asked us to do four more pushes, the 1st thing came across my mind was: Please kill me. It was because I really didn’t have any strength to move my body any more.

Thanks God, after 1 hour of jumping and kicking, finally the class was finished. Otherwise, I was going to be the first one who died in a Body Combat class in Singapore.

Anyway, I am very much enjoy this class and for sure going to attend the next class. Sometime doing this kind of “self torture” is fun.

The Token

After I joined this company, once a while I do receive some tokens from my colleagues as gratitude or greeting. They are not expensive but some of them are cute and special. Most important thing is the sincerity from my colleagues. It is always good to have this kind of once a while surprise.

Halloween candy and the 3 little pigs.

RA chocolates with special instructions (words like suck...etc) to eat them. People who are under age can’t try.

Vacation

Hong Kong
Can’t believe I didn’t go any vacation for a year if the trip to Melaca on July 07 is not considered (this is one of the wonderful and happiest trips I had and it is even better than my trip to Europe (Italy, Monaco, France & Switzerland) last year). Actually I did plan to go Cambodia on November 07 but canceled.

Today a friend asked me to go to Hong Kong on Dec. I knew this friend for about 3 months and we only met once which was the time when we 1st met. After that, we only contact via email and SMS.

Yesterday when I mentioned to him that I am cleaning my leave but not going for any vacation. It is because I am not able to find any friend to go vacation with me most of the time and I am not really enjoy going alone. Surprised me that today he came out a plan (as detail as inclued the price of the air-ticket) and asked me to go Hong Kong for vacation.

If go, is going to stay in his sister house with her family. Good offer but inconvenience. Good offer is because it is going to save a lot from hotel for a 7 days trip. Inconvenience is because I don’t know his sister and I feel uncomfortable to stay at her house with her family.

Already told him that I am not going because it is inconvenience even though his sisiter is ok for me to stay at her place. Anyway, thanks for his kindness.

Cambodia or Mount Kinabalu


Yesterday discussed with 3 of my friends, we plan to go either Cambodia or Mount Kinabalu on March 2008. For myself, I prefer to go Cambodia because I really want to visit Angkor Wat. Hope this time the trip can come true.

X-ray Eyes

Some friends of mine have super natural power and they can read through my mind. Beside those I mentioned before, I just found another friend of mine also can do that. Seriously, I don’t know him well because everytime when we meet, we don’t have much chance to talk.

However, surprised me that he knows a lot of things about me, even some things which can considered are the “Top Secret” of mine and I only share with 2 friends. I believe none of the 2 friends did tell him anything about me. Therefore, I am wondering whether those friends have X-ray Eyes or they are part time Fortune Tellers. I really not sure is there any other Super Man, X Man, Spider Man and Wonder Woman are surrounding me.

When Smile Is Died

Recently the most frequent ask question from my friends is: Why you look so unhappy? Actually I am quite curious why everyone asks me the same question even those friends who I hardly met. I am sure I didn’t write “I am not happy” on my face.

A friend called me this morning and asked me the same question. When I told him that I was fine and very happy, he asked me to ask myself this question tonight when I go to bed. He mentioned only at that moment, I can give myself a true answer. Another friend did tell me that she needs my true smile back. My answered to her was the smile is died but she told me time is going to bring it back to me. For this, I have no comment.

A Colleague = A Senior = A Friend

Wasn’t felt very well in the late afternoon so I went to the office’s pantry and rest on sofa. Happened to see a manager there who is one of my colleagues I like and respect. Like him because he is very knowledgeable at difference areas but not only at work. Respect him is not because he is my senior but also because he is friendly, have willingness to share, he respects others and accept difference opinions and personal interests.

Like to chat with him even thought we don’t have much chance to talk because we are really busy. From his advice and personal experience, I do learn a lot of things. Might surprise others,I do share some of my secrets with him. Please don’t ask him what the secrets are because they are the secrets that can not tell.

Let me tell you a secret here, he can read people sometime. The 1st time when we met, he did ask me a question which has given me a big shocked. I didn’t expect this kind of question came from a colleague who I just met. I didn’t take it as a personal offence and I answer his question. Actually I only gave him half of the answer. We did talk about this 2 months ago, he knew that I didn’t really answer his question and I told him actually I knew the reason why he asked that. Of course, after that I did give him the answer he expected. We both laughed because this was an IQ and EQ competition and we both were the winners.

P.s Diff don’t be surprise when found I posted a photo which included you. Reason is I don’t have any photo only has George and I, so you are “invited”. Comment for the photo, it really looks like a father with sons right? Sorry George, I don’t mean you look OLD. Really, you don’t look OLD at all (OLD). Actually you look younger than Diff and me. Hahahahaha……….

The Concert

Ah Mei’s Concert
8th Nov I did attended Ah Mei’s concert. No doubt, it was an excellent concert with fantastic performance. Beside her powerful voice and singing, she really knew how to drive her audiences and allow them to be involved to the concert.

Most people like her fast songs but I prefer her slow songs. Some of her slow songs which really touched me that night. Even it is so embarrassing to mention but her slow songs did make me cried 3 times that night. Maybe I wasn’t cried, just being touched and the tears were dropping. That’s all. I think I shocked my friends when my “tears dropped” but need to thank them for passing me the tissues. Otherwise my clothes were wet.

The 3 songs that made me lost control are 真实 (The Truth), 天天想你 (Miss You Everyday) and 听海 (Listen to The Sea). Especially when she sang 天天想你, my tears were totally lost control. I didn’t manage to stop it even I tried very hard. In the end, I gave up trying and just let it be.

真实 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoDKmkH5eq8
張惠妹新加坡演唱會 Star 07 - 天天想你
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb7KpnS97TI
聽 海http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooqDc0Ig174&feature=related

The Concert I Look Forward
I am looking forward to attend Faye Wang’s concert even though I know the chance might be only 1% out of 100%. Reason is she doesn’t want to sing any more if she can. The concert on 2004 was the last one she had and I missed it. Not able to attend her concert is going to be one of the regrets in my life.

Have been in loved with her songs since I was in high school. After so many years, she is still the one and the only one I like. I like her not simply because of her wonderful singing but also because her personality and character. She knows what she wants and she dare to strive for what she wants. She never lived to reach the expectation of others and she lives for her own expectation. She doesn’t care about the comment or gossip from others. She just wants to be herself, be Faye Wang but no one else.

Remember she said when she doesn’t want to sing any more and she hopes no one is going to remember her. I am not sure how I am going to forget her since I listen to her songs every day and night.

Something Time Can't Change

Last night I found that one of my favorite old Chinese poems has the same meaning with one of my favorite songs. For the poem, I love: 问世间, 情是何物, 直教生死相许. 渺万里层云，千山暮雪，只影向谁去？ For the song, I love: 思念是一种, 很玄的东西, 如影随形. 我无力抗拒, 特别是夜里, 想你到无法呼吸. 只要你真心, 拿爱与我回应, 什么都愿意, 什么都愿意为你.

From the poem and the song, I understand that there is one thing that time can not change. It is LOVE. No matter is thousand years before or thousand years after.

《摸鱼儿》 ---- 金.元好问
问世间 情是何物 直教生死相许
天南地北双飞客 老翅几回寒暑
欢乐趣 离别苦 是中更有痴儿女
君应有语
渺万里层云，千山暮雪，只影向谁去？

横汾路 寂寞当年萧鼓 荒烟依旧平楚
招魂楚些何磋及 山鬼自啼风雨
天也妒 未信与
莺儿燕子俱黄土
千秋万古 为留待骚人
狂歌痛饮 来访雁丘处

我愿意 ----王菲
思念是一种很玄的东西
如影随形
无声又无息 出没在心底
转眼 吞没我在寂默里
我无力抗拒 特别是夜里
想你到无法呼吸
恨不能立即 朝你狂奔去
大声的告诉你
愿意为你 我愿意为你
我愿意为你 忘记我姓名
就算多一秒 停留在你怀里
失去世界也不可惜
我愿意为你 我愿意为你
我愿意为你 被放逐天际
只要你真心 拿爱与我回应
什么都愿意
什么都愿意为你

Have Someone to Share with

突然间想起一个朋友说过
跟一个人在 一起是为了找一个生活伴侣
至少有一个人和你分享你的快乐和悲伤

Oh my god, my Han Yu Pin Yin (Chinese) is terrible. I spent about 20 minutes together with a Chinese dictionary to come out above 3 sentences. So, decided not to write in Chinese.

Actually, when two people meet and fall in love, at the beginning, is kind of “FEEL/LOVE” that brings them together. After a while (maybe be a year or shorter/longer), it changes from a FEEL/LOVE to be part of life. From that time onward, love and passion might not be as strong as before and they slowly become a responsible and a part of life for each other. There is not such thing call love lasting forever.

Had a drink with a friend last night and he told me that, for him, there is no change for life before and after he attached. The only difference is there is someone who is there and willing to share his happiness and sadness. This is what he is looking for.

P.s I used to not really understand something about what a friend is doing now. It was because there is a conflict with what he has told me before. However after last night, I think I have a better understanding now. It is all because 跟一个人在 一起是为了找一个生活伴侣, 至少有一个人和你分享你的快乐和悲伤. For me, as a friend, the most important thing is he is happy. Isn’t it?

A Question for Myself

After gym and before go for an appointment, decided to take a walk in UOB Centre at Raffles Place. The night view of Singapore River is beautiful. Lighting from the surrounding buildings makes the river more attractive at night. Just like a mature and sexy lady who is flirting around and trying to catch everyone’s attention.

Tonight, I am sitting on the river side, listening to my favorite songs from Faye Wong (王菲). It is another sentimental night for me. Take a look around, I believe I am the only one who is writing on the river side. Maybe people just wondering what I am doing here with my laptop. Suddenly I find that most people here are couples. They are dating on the river side but I am writing my blog. Doesn’t it look a bit unmatched here? I am wondering whether my laptop and I are disturbing those couples.

Look at the old clock tower on Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, the time is 9:00pm now. It is about time for me to go for the appointment. Am I really wanted to go there? I am sure the answer is a NO. After few crazy nights, I am tired of attending this kind of terrible appointment.

Alfie Wong, what you are trying to prove by attending those appointments???????????????

For You

This is for a special friend of mine, my Shi Mei (师妹) – Guek Ling. Promised to write something about her but has been postponed for weeks. So, must do it now

Shi Mei and I are colleagues. She is in Financial and I am in Information Systems. Why we call each other Shi Xiong (师兄/Senior) and Shi Mei (师妹/Jonior)? It was because our Hong Kong colleagues wrongly pronounced my Chinese name as “Shi Xiong “. From that day onward, she calls me: Shi Xiong and I call her: Shi Mei.
Everytime when we meet and chat, our conversation is without any main point. We just keep talking and talking and then laughing and laughing. We like to criticise each others and brag ourselves for everything like physical outlook, age, dressing, IQ, work, school result…etc. Of course, those are just for fun and we never taken it seriously.

After our “meaningless conversation”, we realized that actually we are same kind of people. We look optimistic but it is only the part we want to show people. Actually we have hidden a trust self in deep of our hearts. No one is allowing to see and no one is going to understand. We like to endure the pain alone (就算痛苦　就算是泪　也是属於我的伤悲).

We are being sensitive and sentimental sometime. We easiest drive ourselves in to a dead corner because of thinking too much. It makes ourselves so depress sometime. After that, we have to make a lot of effort to pull ourselves back to the correct direction and move on. We know it is dangerous because if one day we are not able to pull ourselves back, then we are going to sink and sink till we destroy ourselves.

How sentimental can we be? From one of our conversions and maybe you are able to guess a bit:

Alfie: What can fill up a hole in a heart beside tears?

Guek Ling: A broken heart will be auto heal up when the one you love approach you and it gets broken again when the one you love hurts you another time. And the broken heart heal up and broken, broken and heal up. At the end, you can’t find that you still have a heart to love anyone else.

Being sentimental does perplexed the people who know us. It is because we might be happy at this moment but feel sad/depress at another moment. The change can be very fast. It makes people think we are weird and difficult to understand.

Shi Mei, actually you are a fortunate one because you already found The One who is willing to understand and share your happiness and sadness with you. So, when you are not happy, go home. There are shoulders for you to lay on and cry.

P.s Same as you, I am very glad to know you, a person who is very much like me. Give you a song as a gift for knowing each other for the 1st 6 months. I am sure you are like me, for something or for someone, we are 执迷不悔.

这一次我执著面对　任性地沉醉
我并不在乎 这是错还是对
就算是深陷　我不顾一切
就算是执迷　我也执迷不悔
别说我应该放弃　应该睁开眼
我用我的心　去看去感觉
你并不是我 又怎能了解
就算是执迷　就让我执迷不悔
我不是你们想的如此完美　我承认有时也会辨不清真伪
并非我不愿意走出迷堆　只是这一次　这次是自己而不是谁
要我用谁的心去体会　真真切切地感受周围
就算痛苦　就算是泪　也是属於我的伤悲
我还能用谁的心去体会　真真切切地感受周围
就算疲倦　就算是累　也只能执迷而不悔

Sleepless in Singapore

Have sleeping problem since 2nd quarter of 2007. Almost everyday wake up at middle of night after 2-3 hour sleep. After that, I am not able to fall into sleep any more.

Did take sleeping medicine for few months but it didn’t help at all. Doctor did stop the medication because it isn’t a long term solution for me. Now I am only taking some vitamins. Advices from doctor are trying to be relaxed, don’t over work, and do something I liked which can help to reduce stress. The most important think is don’t think too much and try to let go.

I know my problem is I always think too much, especially in a silent night. At middle of night, my mind because more clear which allows me to think more. The more I am think and the most frustration I am. Think till not able to breath. In this case, I am never able to have a good sleep.

Actually I am a bit scare of the night to come because I don’t know how I am going to get through another sleepless night with full of frustration. I am a bit helpless on that. Standing on the window and looking at the empty night sky are the only things I can do.

I think I might be able to let go and sleep well in another city but for sure is not in Singapore because here has so many things that I am trying very hard to forget. Therefore, the only solution for me is I have to leave this city. I hope it will be soon because I can't take it any more and can't wait any longer. I want to leave this place ASAP.

A 32 Years Promise

Interested to watch the movie Stardust is not because it is good but it allows me to get back the fantasy which I lost for so many years. Maybe only teenagers are qualified to have fantasy and I am too old to have it already.

I saw shooting star quite a few times. The most memorable one is the meteor rain from Leo on 9 years ago. It was a winter, my friend and I drove to a corn field and watched the meteors. That night the sky was crystal clear and was a good night for watching shooting star.

We stayed in the car and looked at the sky, from 11:45pm till 5:00am; we really saw a lot of meteors dropping from the sky. Followed with what we belief, we did make a wish everytime when we saw a meteor. Really couldn’t remember how many wishes we made. I believe it was more than 100 wishes. It was a special and sentimental night.

We did make a promise to watch the meteor rain from Leo 32 years later at same place and same time. Why 32 years? It is because one cycle of the meteor rain from Leo is 32 years. After I made the promise, felt guilty that I did think that most likely I was not able to keep the promise because 32 year was really too long.

However, time is flying fastest than I expected and 9 years has pasted without my notice. Now leave out for only 23 years. In fact, i am thinking of this promise most of the time.

Silly me why think so much. Most likely my friend already threw the promise to the sea right after made the promise.

Reborn – Live with Alfie

Seriously, had a thought that not to write again and even thought about closed down my blog. However, after one week of resting and considering, I decided to reopen my blog. One reason is I can’t give up my hobby – write nonsense. Another reason is if I closed down my blog, I am sure some of my friends (or fans coz they told me that they are fans of my blog) are going to be very disappointed. To let friends down and disappointed them which make me feel bad. I try not to do that (I really try my best).

Actually I have a doubt, are the fan from Syria and Sonic from Italy really existing and reading my blog or just a joke form my friends? I did ask some of my friends but they told me they didn’t left comments on my blog on behalf of a fan from Syria and Sonic. If it is real, then is very interesting because there are some people in another corners of the world who I don’t know but they are reading my blog. Somehow they think my blog is interesting. Anyway, to all my friends/fans, thank you very much for your encourage and support. Without you, definitely I already “killed” my baby – Live with Alfie. . You keep it alive.

Today just an announcement for the reborn of my blog. For you, i hope it is a good news on Friday. Will update it when I have any interesting thing to share with you.