Skip to main content

Singapore 2010 Countdown

It is that time of the year (yet again) when we will usher in a brand new year in just slightly more than a month! I must tell you that one year passes like lightning! I never have the feeling that a year passes so fast when I am in my schooldays but it seems ever since I started working, time seems to just zoom past and before we know it, the end of the year will arrive!

Let us trace through how we or rather I have this rapid perception of the rapid passing of time. First when January of a new year comes, this month is reserved for most of us to get used to the new year, to the crafting of new year resolutions, to wake up from that partying mood and the lingering remnants of the year before and finally to familiarize ourselves with the writing of ‘10’ rather than ‘09’ when dating a document. And once that suite of work is done, we welcome February!

What does one do when it comes to February? For most of us, February is often the month when Chinese New Year is in. There will be two holidays for all Chinese and non-Chinese alike thus this 28-day (or 29 days when there is a leap year) month will pass fast too. Many of us will also prolong the holidaying with our own taking of leaves and before we know it, February will pass.

Next comes March, a month students look forward to as there is a week-long holidays. Many parents also will take leave this month to go overseas with their children. April and May can be quite ‘dry’ but with public holidays like Good Friday and Vesak Day, these two months will pass fast too.

June, a school holiday month will fly as working parents take leave for overseas vacations with their kids alike in March. Enduring a ‘dry spell’ July, it is soon that we celebrate National Day in August.

I must tell you that in my opinion, Singapore National Day is that totem pole point beyond which time just accelerates with the dozens of festivals, public holidays, international and national events in the lineup for the rest of the year which leads us finally to December. These five months will pass in a flash because time flies when we are having fun!

Coming back to where I left off earlier, I must tell you that every year when it comes to this time of the year, I will trace back my diary and look back at what I have achieved hitherto this year as well as what are the things I have set out to achieve which are still WIP (work in progress). Noteworthy to me are also the happy and unhappy things, which I experienced during these months.

It is with a rueful look that I retraced some of the things I have not achieved in one or two aspects of life this year. I have always work hard in life but let us face the fact that life is never a smooth course. People and circumstances of life do change and prevent us from achieving what we aspire to do. It is my onus to ensure that this fact of life does not turn out to be an excuse for not trying to achieving an endeavor.

Enough of philosophical musing, let us look at what are the highlights for Singapore in year 2010.

Cast in iron and firmed up on the calendar is the highly anticipated Youth Olympics Games which will turn international spotlight on Singapore once again. This will be the greatest international event for Singapore next year, followed by F1 race a month later in Aug 10.

On the national front, I believe it is time for Singaporeans to go to the polls next year. With YOG being held later in the August 2010, I believe the polls will be called before August. I hazard a guess: March 2010 to June 2010.

Wish you and family a Happy 2010 ahead!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vernon Leong Jun Wei

What happens to the 31 year old bride groom, Vernon Leong Jun Wei? As the news of this latest unnatural and bizzare death developed, it seemed that Vernon did not jump from the 24th storey of Hilton Hotel as was believed earlier. There were 3 video camera footages which might prove otherwises for the cause of Vernon's death. The first video footage showed Vernon at the 24th storey, making his way hurriedly into the fire escape staircase. The next video footage showed Vernon at the 2nd storey which also holds some shops and the final footage showed an unconscious Vernon motionless at the ground of the hotel. Vernon was cladded casually in a T-shirt and pants and have left his hotel room while his wife was taking a shower. It seemed that he might be escaping from something or somebody or that he might be chasing after something or somebody. What did Vernon see and experience at his last moments? The police is still investigating the case. It is really a very tragical and sad
Post a Comment
Read more

Kampong Lorong Buangkok

Amidst the blazing afternoon sun today, my Dear and I made our way to Kampong Lorong Buangkok. The visit was a timely one as there is such a high buzz being generated over the last kampong in modern Singapore. After alighting from Bus 854 from Eunos, it was not difficult to find our way to the kampong. The entrance of the kampong was distinct as you could see from the picture: the 'ulu-ness' (rural charm) is evident from the attap-roofed buildings and more unkempt conditions. A signboard with hand-written text welcome my Dear and I to the last kampong in Singapore: As we entered the kampong, I spotted a middle-aged woman talking to an old man. I had seen the old woman before on TV. She was none other than the owner of the kampong land. In the documentary, I learnt that the whole kampong land was passed to her by her late father. She has kept the land and have not gone on to sell the land to the government. If she were to sell the land, she would be an instant multi-millionair
Post a Comment
Read more

Performance Bonus

It is the time of the year civil servants receive their performance bonuses (PBs). In the coming two weeks, civil servants will not only receive their performance bonuses, special ‘growth bonuses’, would also await them for the very first time. These PBs and growth bonuses are only applicable to performers, defined as officers with assessed performance gradings above the ‘D’ grade. Typically, civil servants receive their performance bonuses in March, a 0.5 month of bonus in July and a 13th month plus AVC in December. Are all the bonuses good? To be frank, the bonuses dished out in Civil Service are averages at best. With the various bonuses being given out in these months: July, December and March, a civil servant who would like to quit would most likely try to find a ‘suitable’ month to quit so as not to forfeit his bonuses. The December bonus is generally the most generous portion. To quantify for this bonus, an officer would have to be in service till the end of January ne
1 comment
Read more