Chinese New Year (CNY) 2007

20 February 2007

Every year, during the last few days before Chinese New Year (CNY), my family will do our CNY shopping at all CNY shopping locations across Tampines. Usually, we will cover the Town Centre (TC) and all Neighbourhood Centres (NC) scattered around Tampines. This CNY shopping trend continues to be my favourite highlight of CNY every year.

CNY shopping (15.2.07)
After the specialist review appointment, Mumy and I went to take a look at the new wing of Novena Square. After which, Mumy brought me to pray at Bugis Waterloo Street Kwanyin Temple and we started our CNY shopping at the Rochor / Bugis area... I bought a new OP T-shirt at OG and the highly anticipated "NANA 16" at Kinokuniya... Both of us continue to shop at Tampines Central...

Later that night, my family went to Tampines Neighbourhood 2 Centre (N2C) for dinner and some CNY shopping. As I was really bored, I started taking photos to document the CNY atmosphere of N2C. I am really looking forward to more CNY shopping tomorrow...


Tampines N2C (15.2.07)


Tampines N2C (15.2.07)

ECNYE shopping (16.2.07)
I woke out around 10am. After taking a shower and a hearty early lunch of beehoon, I embarked on my solo part of Eve of Chinese New Year (ECNYE) shopping at around 12pm. I purposely took the hour long bus #10 ride to Vivocity to recollect memories of Grade 5 Music Theory lesson and the numerous Saturday rehearsals of NDP 2006. It is also because as bus #10 starts from Tampines bus interchange, I will get a seat, which is important for me, as I am still nursing a fracture injury. Upon reaching the destination, I admit that I was really giddy...

After grabbing 9 long-wanted releases for just $45 at Vivocity music junction (MJ) on 2.2.07, I bought TRF's album "BRAND NEW TOMORROW" and 3 of their concert VCD "BRAND NEW TOMORROW IN TOKYO DOME ~PRESENTATION FOR 1996~", "TOUR '98 Live in Unite!" and "TOUR 1999 EXICOAST TOUR AT OSAKA Live" today. I purchased these 4 titles for just $20! At $5 each, these 13 purchases were absolutely value-for-money, considering that most of these releases are Out-Of-Print (OOP) now and retails that still sell them would usually charged a high price of $25 or more for each of them.

After some wandering at Vivocity and the cosy bookstore, I took bus #65 to Orchard. I bought Every Little Thing's acoustic album "ACOUSTIC : LATTE" at Orchard MRT Station CD-RAMA before returning home at around 5pm.

After a short rest at home, Mumy and I went to Tampines Neighbourhood 5 Centre (N5C) for some light shopping at around 6pm. This marked the beginning of the latter half of this year's ECNYE shopping. I bought BoA's 5th album "MADE IN TWENTY (20)" and Ito Yuna's 1st album "HEART" from Century Square Sembawang.

As I am determined to obtain ABRSM Music Theory Grade 8 this year (partly also because I am really bored and free due to my injury), I bought a copy of "A HANDBOOK OF MUSIC THEORY GRADES 6 - 8" from Yamaha for self-study.

To my greatest surprise, the long-awaited "The Official Singapore Street Directory 2007" has been published. Needless to say, I bought a copy of "The Official Singapore Street Directory 2007" at Tampines Mall Popular. This is one of my biggest dream come true.

My brother rode his bike to join us at around 7pm. We went to shop for some vegetable at Tampines N5C before going home.


Tampines N5C (16.2.07)

After another short rest at home, we reached the climax of tonight's ECNYE shopping. At around 9pm, the whole family went to Tampines Neighbourhood 1 Centre (N1C) for our annual ECNYE shopping pilgrimage. We had lor mee for dinner at 137 food centre first, before we carry on to shop at the market for the delicious handmade meatball, braised duck and roast meat. After buying a walnut cake from prima deli, we returned home to put down our purchases before heading to our local Tampines Neighbourhood 4 Centre (N4C) for the finale of ECNYE shopping. N4C looks empty, as if it had been badly "raided" during an emergency.

It is a fulfilling day with tons of purchases. The most notable purchase (of cause) would be "The Official Singapore Street Directory 2007"!


Tampines N1C (16.2.07)


Cakes @ Tampines N1C (16.2.07)

CNYE (17.2.07)
I woke up very late on Chinese New Year (CNYE) at 3pm. Reunion steamboat started rather late this year, at 7pm...


Reunion Dinner (17.2.07)

CNY 2007 (18.2.07 ~ 20.2.07)
Despite sleeping rather early on CNYE at 2am, I woke up rather late again on CNY1 at 12pm... Sick and tired of explaining my injury again and again, I decided not to go to Ah Mah house at the very last minute, which is the first time I did not go for CNY visiting...

I continue to sleep early on CNY1 and CNY2, before 1am, and I woke up very late at 2pm for CNY2 and CNY3... Out of the blue, I decided to curfew myself from using my computer for all 4 days of CNY for no particular reason, and I make it. I realized that my daily routine for these 4 days are basically rinse & shine, late lunch, watch TV, dinner, watch TV and sleep... I did not do anything that is particularly interesting, but I guess this CNY will be memorable, due to my injury...


lion dance

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Chinese New Year (CNY) 2007   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.

National Day Parade 2006

09 August 2006

National Day Parade 2006
I am honoured to be involved in National Day Parade (NDP) 2006, the last NDP to be held at the National Stadium. NDP 2006 is organized by 1st Guards (1Guards), which is not affiliated to 1SIR. Therefore, it is really a privilege that our 1Guards brothers requested for manpower assistance from my battalion. It is definitely a meaningful and memorable experience for me.


NDP 2006

Gate IC at Pigeon Hole 34B
As I would be away for my Class 2B Riding Course from 5.6.06 to 5.7.06, Eugene assigned a simpler task for me, to avoid disrupting the overall logistics and manpower reshuffling. I am tasked to be the Gate IC at Pigeon Hole 34B, which is just beside the combined school choir. My task is to listen for cues on when to open the gates to let the performers in to perform for their segment. I am teamed up with guys from Alpha company, who will open the gate after I pass the cue to them.

My job scope was relatively light and most of my chores (opening the gate) would happen before the Pre-Parade segment and would end during the first segment of the Main Performance. Therefore, my position could be easily covered by someone else during my absence.


Pigeon Hole 34B is to the left of the combined school choir, below the banners "0" & "6".


Gate IC at Pigeon Hole 34B.


Some of the student performers whom we open the gate for.

NDP 2006 Common Rehearsal
The 1st Common Rehearsal (CR) was held on 3.6.06 (sat) at the National Stadium. At that time, the show was not finalized yet. The performers still messed up the choreography and there were lots of scolding and shouting from the instructors. It was actually quite entertaining to watch the NG moments.


These Nasi Lemak lunch provided during Common Rehearsal reminds me of those hawkers selling nasi lemak and curry puffs to audience watching the Malaysia Cup.

Upon returning from my bike course on 6.7.06 (thu), I joined the rest for the CR. I was actually quite excited, because this would be the 1st time I am able to watch the full show that evening (6.7.06). It is remarkable to see great improvement across all the performers.


NDP 2006 Common Rehearsal

OUR GLOBAL CITY, OUR HOME
My position gave me a full, but inverted view of the show as we are stationed opposite the Presidents, Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament, who are seated at the covered grandstand.

As Gate IC, I have a full run-down of the programme, with minute-to-minute countdown cues on what is happening next. As our tasks were relatively light, I get to watch most of the parade during off-duty moments. The minute-to-minute countdown cues are very useful for my team to aim our camera on the freefall, aerial flypast, programme highlights and fireworks. These cues are also important in ensuring safety of performers and audience, as we are in close proximity to the fireworks, which were ignited directly behind us.


Enthusiastic Singaporeans waiting for NDP 2006 to start.


Singapore Flag flypast


National Day Parade 2006: OUR GLOBAL CITY, OUR HOME

Memories of NDP 2006
The NDP 2006 experience provides me with a deep insight on logistics and events management. It really requires the cooperation of an entire village to make a national-scale event happen.


I am honoured to be involved in NDP 2006.

Life during this period is the slackest in my NSF life! We spent most of our time on NDP stuff, as we are involved in rehearsals on Thursday and Saturday. We will book out on Friday afternoon, report directly to National Stadium by 12pm on Saturday, and have our off days on Sunday and Monday. This means that we get to enjoy 3 nights of sleep at home (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). As such, we only spent 3 days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday) in camp.

Furthermore, the 1h long bus #10 ride to/from National Stadium on every Saturday morning and Saturday night are very enjoyable to me.

Goodbye National Stadium
With the completion of NDP 2006, it also means that the beloved National Stadium will be demolished to make way for a new covered national stadium. I have been visiting the National Stadium regularly since primary school days to watch football (Malaysia Cup). Therefore, I have fond memories of the National Stadium. It is sad to see a familiar landmark disappeared, but I will always remember the hawkers selling nasi lemak and curry puffs, the golden days of football in Singapore, endless Kallang Wave and loud Lion Roar.


Goodbye National Stadium. We are free to explore the National Stadium when off-duty during rehearsals.

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National Day Parade 2006   © 文彬 2004~2024. All rights reserved.