SINGAPORE STREET DIRECTORY

11 August 2004

Time flies... I just realized that I have been reading my favourite book, the "SINGAPORE STREET DIRECTORY" for more than 10 years...

On a humid night in August 1994 (when I was still a primary 3 student then), I casually flip through my father's newly-bought 17th edition of the "SINGAPORE STREET DIRECTORY". I started exploring the book and got curious over the various shapes, symbols and colour coding. I ask my father many questions about the book, how an area looks like in reality and pestered him to bring me there. Through the process, I fell in love with the book. I was so obsess with the book that this 17th edition became mine.

From then onwards, I started collecting, researching and interpreting printed maps of Singapore and related publications on Singapore geography and development history. I also started drawings maps of future new towns, MRT lines and electoral boundaries from my imagination. I photocopied pages of the "SINGAPORE STREET DIRECTORY" with large plots of vacant land to draw up a new town of the future. Such areas include Tampines (N6, N4 extension, N8 extension & N9 extension), Hong Kah, Seletar, Lim Chu Kang & Mandai. I would even draw these towns when my mother gave me spelling, curving the words into apartment blocks…

The announcement on the construction of the Northeast Line (NEL) in 1996 also makes me extremely interested on local geography. I began acquiring knowledge on Singapore geography through various sources like books, newspapers and references from the library. This passion and knowledge cultivated my everlasting love for geography, making it a goal for me to take geography as an 'O' level & 'A' level subject. True enough, I scored straight As for all Social Studies & Geography tests and examinations (except for sec 4 mid-year, which the school intentionally set our mid-year papers to be extremely difficult to prepare us for the upcoming prelim & 'O' level). with 98 points as my highest score for geography.

Currently, I have a mini collection of the "SINGAPORE STREET DIRECTORY". These books have integrated completely into almost all aspects of my everyday life. I would flipped through it during happy or sad moments, whenever I fell sick, eating, feeling bored, when I need to destress, going out, exploring new places...

It is a really big shame for me to throw away the memorable 17th edition after I bought the 18th edition. All the while, I have been trying to lie to myself that I had misplaced the 17th edition in the hope that I might be able to find it somewhere in my house and realise I actually didn't throw it away...

I would like to thank all 5 editions for their contributions to my life. I will always treasure and remember them. always...

I am anticipating for the release of the way overdued 22nd edition of the "SINGAPORE STREET DIRECTORY"...


My mini collection of "SINGAPORE STREET DIRECTORY"

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