It is the start of another calendar year. January. I think it may be one of the most dreaded words in my context. Just as December makes one feel relaxed and everything comes to a crawl, January is the exact opposite - time to get the engine started, planning and forecasting, and you know what's worse to come? 11 more pages in the calendar to flip, GG!
To me, the turn of every year doesn't feel monumtous, defining nor remarkable. It was just another tick of the second hand on the clock; the digital display on the clock resetting to 00:00:00; but globally symbolised by extravagant fireworks, merry party and boisterous cheers. However, the significance lies with people's perceived and celebrated turnover of another 12 months - people evaluate and appraise their past year achievements, regrets and memorable chapters, at the same time laying down their goals, vision and mission for the next 365 days.
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Was at Khatib to join the neighbourhood kakis in the countdown, with girlfriend and some NZ peeps for company. It was a simple celebratory fare - mosaic painting, stage performances, aerosol sprays you have them too, MPs doing their walkabout, and a 5 mins fireworks display to boot.
As I was on the cab back home and passed underneath the overhead bridge that links Tampines and Pasir Ris, it reminded me of the times I spent NY countdown at Downtown East. Both times were memorable but only the second is worth mentioning - had my buddy Jx for company. Together we pressured up our bicycles, dashed across the traffic junctions, shook heads at the immaturish kids hanging outside the chalets and making a nuisance of themselves, sang Auld Lang Syne together. Then we headed slowly back to Tampines amidst the quiet night, stopping by an exercise station to do pull ups, buy drinks at the gas station, talking cock... when suddenly we encountered of what we thought was a crime in action - there were a few kids skeltering suspiciously at the void decks, followed closely by a few policemen! Jx and I tried to be civic-minded citizens and went after the kids on our bicycles. They were later surrounded by the policemen (doubt we helped at all haha) who took down their details. Don't really know what happened but think the kids were just mischievous and didn't commit any crime. Later, Jx and I discussed passionately how we would plot to catch a bicycle thief red-handed when we had the time haha, we talked cock for an hour plus before bidding farewell relunctantly to what was a long but awesome night...
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On our bicycles we also went on countless cycling adventures and explored new places, and it was really fun because we had confidence in each other's psychomotor and peddling skills - we would zip down the empty roads with both hands extended and flailing against the wind (look mom, no hands!)... race down narrow roads, hop across humps and kerbs, turn sharp bends and and you can bet your last dollar that the trusted buddy would always just be following closely behind.
In 2008, Jx's family bought a car... and I never got him to embark on another cycling tour again.
To me, the turn of every year doesn't feel monumtous, defining nor remarkable. It was just another tick of the second hand on the clock; the digital display on the clock resetting to 00:00:00; but globally symbolised by extravagant fireworks, merry party and boisterous cheers. However, the significance lies with people's perceived and celebrated turnover of another 12 months - people evaluate and appraise their past year achievements, regrets and memorable chapters, at the same time laying down their goals, vision and mission for the next 365 days.
______________________________________________
Was at Khatib to join the neighbourhood kakis in the countdown, with girlfriend and some NZ peeps for company. It was a simple celebratory fare - mosaic painting, stage performances, aerosol sprays you have them too, MPs doing their walkabout, and a 5 mins fireworks display to boot.
As I was on the cab back home and passed underneath the overhead bridge that links Tampines and Pasir Ris, it reminded me of the times I spent NY countdown at Downtown East. Both times were memorable but only the second is worth mentioning - had my buddy Jx for company. Together we pressured up our bicycles, dashed across the traffic junctions, shook heads at the immaturish kids hanging outside the chalets and making a nuisance of themselves, sang Auld Lang Syne together. Then we headed slowly back to Tampines amidst the quiet night, stopping by an exercise station to do pull ups, buy drinks at the gas station, talking cock... when suddenly we encountered of what we thought was a crime in action - there were a few kids skeltering suspiciously at the void decks, followed closely by a few policemen! Jx and I tried to be civic-minded citizens and went after the kids on our bicycles. They were later surrounded by the policemen (doubt we helped at all haha) who took down their details. Don't really know what happened but think the kids were just mischievous and didn't commit any crime. Later, Jx and I discussed passionately how we would plot to catch a bicycle thief red-handed when we had the time haha, we talked cock for an hour plus before bidding farewell relunctantly to what was a long but awesome night...
___________________________________________________
On our bicycles we also went on countless cycling adventures and explored new places, and it was really fun because we had confidence in each other's psychomotor and peddling skills - we would zip down the empty roads with both hands extended and flailing against the wind (look mom, no hands!)... race down narrow roads, hop across humps and kerbs, turn sharp bends and and you can bet your last dollar that the trusted buddy would always just be following closely behind.
In 2008, Jx's family bought a car... and I never got him to embark on another cycling tour again.
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