My new EZ-Link Card

Look at the new EZLink card.

They changed my old one with respectable efficiency.

Typical of Singapore.

Suppose to be able to store far more credit than the old one. and I will soon be able to use the card for many other purposes.

Although they said the wait would take 45 minutes, but actually took only about 20 minutes.

Can't wait to discover new ways to spend my hard earned money.

My commute everyday a video snippet.

Here is a short video blog that I am attempting. Actually its really boring, bear with me because it is the start of things.

Since I am doing things on my own, i need the practice and that will come by doing things over and over again. By the way the narrative is in Myanmar Language. English versions coming soon.

Another unique observation of the Singapore MRT

Merry Christmas to You.

Yesterday morning, on my way to work (yes, I know on Christmas eve), I took my regular walk down to the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit). Pretty regular except for the pouring raining.
The temperature was nice and cool.
And I got on, while keeping a close eye for unusual situations to write about for my blog.
Then it happened, the subject matter for this blog presented itself.

A young lady, standing about 3 feet away from me, looked at her wrist watch, then look up behind and above me. There is a digital information panel lo0cated there, which is a new feature on some of the trains. She look at it and then look at her watch again. A puzzled look on her face. Then later another young man nearby did the same. Looking at his watch and then to the place behind and above me.
So I decided to take a look, the digital clock there said 8:14. Wait a minute, I glanced at my own watch; 8:30. I glanced at someone else's watch, and it showed the same time as mine.
The clock in the MRT is 16 mintues late.

In my own country I would have thought nothing of it.
But in Singapore, That is a unique situation!

By a Thread, Lost Hope?

Again, another pleasant morning, in Singapore.
I am getting a good full night’s sleep these days which has me firing on all pistons. Last week was tiring, I was trying to upgrade my expertise of my trade another notch. So I was going to bed every night at 2 am, for 10 straight nights. The same exercise will be undertaken every month.
I am still keeping my eyes and ears open for material for my blogs, and sometimes a experience at a glance can stick with me all day. I am not peeking and peering into anybody’s life but sometimes, unlike Crash, where they collide, this morning was something of a brush!
Right beside me on the MRT, a smartly dressed young man started to talk on his phone, he started speaking in Myanmar, since I was shoulder to shoulder with him I could hear him talk to his friend on the others side. His words were heavy, for someone his age (he was 23~26?) they seem to have lost a great deal of hope for the immediately future. Words of which describe a bright future slipping beyond reach as the reality of the recession bore down on his friends. Many of them on S-Passes on the verge of applying and surely getting PR’s, now packing up and leaving for home. He seemed to expect such a fate for himself too. The friend on the other side, a girl, judging on the responses, seemed to be doing her best to instill confidence and not lose hope for their sake. Their dreams were on the line.
Singapore does not visibly have the sign of the recession. But here and there, in the news, there are the grim reminders of actions taken to stay afloat.
I really do hope that everything turns out OK for the brother on the MRT.

Stepping On Toes

Man, What a morning, on the MRT today I accidentally stepped the toes of a charming plump lady, so sorry! It must of really hurt, I am two hundred pounds of fat enclosed muscle of body weight, concentrated onto a heel. So that must of drilled into her toes. But strangely she took it rather well. She did flinch but that was a sudden jerk! So that really surprised me, because that last time something like this happened my friend won’t talk to me for 2 days! It hurt that much!
Then I thought, maybe I let it happen, I have reached an age where accidents like this didn’t happen unless I allowed them to happen. We do become more aware of ourselves and all the activities that go along with it too. What the heck! I am really sorry! If you happen to read this blog!

Sounds Homesick to me!

Sounds of the Modern city; I have become aware of another factor that contributes to the homesickness of our Myanmar Shwes’. It’s the sounds of the city that are so different too.

The sounds din of the MRT, the tones of the mobile phones, the beeps of handheld Play stations.

All of these small little things matter in the long run and build up the stress that is translated by the brain to represent home sickness.
So sometimes just go down to East Coast Park and listen to some Myanmar music on your MP3 or IPod, it should take care of that longing for home or it will make things worse!

Full Blast! on the MRT!

Singapore, 11 Thursday 2008: Today on my daily commute to work today, which takes about 45 minutes and 25 minutes on the MRT (Singaporean Train), I couldn’t but help hearing music; ‘its my life; Bon Jovi’ on full blast through his IPod earphones. It was so loud that I bet that everyone within a 2 meter radius could have heard the song. And he wouldn’t hear anything unless his pants were on fire, because there would be no way he can hear anything. I suppose that he would already be half deaf.