Night Vigil

Been busy of late, when I should normally be doing them visits and all. But the Jackrabbit would agree that this is the season for change. Been on assignment, courtesy of the every creative +K. The above are the preliminary results. We'll continue working on this. When it's done, well, we'll see how it goes. Work starts on Wednesday...

Dog Year: Day Two

Visitation's part of the deal during this period. And on the cards for the next couple of days, well, things would be rather different from the past. Today, first stop would be Synapseman in his new hootch somewhere on the Northern part of the island. As usual, tech/geek talk would be the order of the day, but hey, it's good. More later.
On the side note, weather is holding out pretty well. That usually means scorching sun with a pampering breeze. Great day to go on the lowest ISO setting on me camera....right....

Featuring: Synapseman Works

Amidst all the urbanisation that has been taking place in this concrete jungle we call the Lion City, there are still pockets of a bygone era that have somehow survived the ravages of time (but it is understood here that surviving can be a subjective term). Suffice to say, it still takes a fair deal of effort to get to the place and put it on 35 mm film. Paying homage to a relic of the past, here's a quick glimpse into some of the efforts of one who knows, and loves his craft. For a more extensive showcase of his works (in particular, the excursion to Tyersall House), take a trip to his page here for a sensory treat of the quaint kind.

Sol-Lunar

We're getting some pretty decent weather here in the tropics, especially along the Equator. On the eve of the Lunar New Year, the city practically shuts down with most of the businesses here deciding to take a break from what could be considered a hectic 2005 (according to the Lunar Calendar that is). Most of the last minute shopping was done yesterday, by now, most would be home doing whatever that needs to be done for the big evening Reunion Dinner event.

If the weather continues like that, it'd be blistering hot in no time. But it wouldn't be surprising if the torrential rains decide to visit again.

On Location: Newton Circus

The year was 1969. It was way before the flood alleviation works had kicked in, and this was the mayhem that was expected at the height of the monsoon season. The locals are familiar with the Newton Circus, but what's in addition to that was that this scene was repeated time and again from Newton Circus right up to the University of Singapore (which eventually became the present day National University of Singapore, or NUS). So you call in the cavalry when this happens.

That was the conscript army in the early days donning the characteristic steel helmet, making their way round the flooded areas in their steel boats relieving those stranded in the low lying areas along the Bukit Timah Road. (This was perhaps their first real search-and-rescue operational experience in such emergencies before they were to respond to what was to be known as the Asian Tsunami 35 years later in another country).
That bus marooned in the background was the predecessor to our present Singapore Bus Service red and white buses. Back then, they went by names such as Green Bus, Singapore Traction Company, Hock Lee and Tay Koh Yat. These days, we have it all grouped under the SBS and SMRT. You go around transiting from bus to bus in a proximity card that you tap as you alight and get off a bus, or when you decide to hop on to the local trains the MRT (think Underground Tube, Metro, U or S-Bahn etc.).

On Location: Newton

Going a back in time a little here. But this is really how a soda fountain looked like back in the 1950s. Granny used to man the store serving out soda at 30 cents a glass (large glasses in the background) and 20 cents for the smaller dose. Trishaw riders used to frequent here rather often, and it was a refreshing break from a hard day's work pedalling round in those machines. Mind you, they hadn't all that tech we have nowadays with favourable gear ratios, space age frames etc... all they had were two strong legs and ONE gear ratio to earn their pay. And the clocks in the background, well, that was how Grandad made a living - as a clock repairer skilled in the horological arts, and that was before the quartz revolution swept through the world.

R.O.T.J: Reintroduction Of The Jackrabbit

R.O.T.J...no it's not a Lucasfilm production...it's RIBBA OwnerThe Jackrabbit. He's at it again. Giving in to his symmetric-need-precision-to-the-millimeter tendencies, it saw him mounting more than 5 frames in one day...and they are giant ones...I helped a little. Then I turned to raiding his fridge (a futile attempt since there's nothing much in there anyway) but was faced with this:

What kind of a fridge blasts you with PLASMA when you open it???Ok, so I got hungry. They say that there's no such thing as a free lunch...so you can trust the Jackrabbit to bend the rules and just pop in a free dinner after a hard day's work, like this:

...Mom of Jackrabbit whips up some of the best meals in town. Pork fillet, thinly slice ACROSS the GRAIN to bring out the exquisite tender goodness in it all. Fab stuff. Well, rounding midnight, it was time to chill at +K's again. And so begins the week leading up to the Lunar New Year...and tis' the Year of da DAWG yo.

The General Buildeth

Most know The General as one who knows his trade very well. Few know of his skill when it comes to the art of airbrushing his latest plastic model, some brainchild of a mad mechanic with a huge dose of talent and extended moments of brilliance. Today marked the baptism of fire for The General. Pictures of his handywork due soon...

Weekend's Near

There's going to be some company dinner come Friday. Guess the mood's pretty much on holiday gear with the Lunar New Year and festivities coming in. Well, let the picture do the talking.

Introducing: GS

Been ages since we've met up, but it was good to see GS again. Having been travelling for the greater part of her working life, she's finally taken some time out for a quiet evening of catching up and just plain cruising around town. Which is fun by the way. The simple things. Though it gets a tad bit complicated when she eyes a certain ceramic mug...

Excursion

Weekends nowadays are pretty different from say, 5 years ago. Sleep-ins and lazy days are the order of the day. But despite all that, you occasionally get gems like these. Make no mistake, this is really +K Mini. And this is what he sees:

...and with that amount of sunshine, you're bound to get precipitation that causes stuff like this:

And that's how a weekend goes. Now, it's either the medication is getting to my head, or that porridge gives me a natural high. I think I'll go hit the sack before this get's stranger...

Nostalgia

It's a little early for Nostalgia...considering the fact that I've only been back for a little shy of 3 months. But it's hard not to miss a place that looks like this when one is faced with torrential monsoon rains characteristic of the region. Then there is that "fabled" White Christmas fantasy that comes with this:


...and this was the path leading home for the time I was away...

Gettin' Geeky

Keen Karat lives up to her name in more ways than one. She surprised me with this winner on the day she returned. "Happy belated birthday!", she says. I says she knows me good. I'm gettin down ta poppin' these in Da' Machine.

City Heat

The past five days or so saw some of the heaviest rainfall in ages on this tiny island. Then the Sun came back with a vengeance and scorched most of the roads with its searing heat.

Unfazed, it was nonetheless a good day to meet. The Synapseman (we go all the way back).

He needs little introduction, and after all these years, it's fab to know some things never change:) And for the earlier part of the day, it was a good food fest at a Teochew Restaurant in the heart of the City. The trick was of course, getting there in the first place.

Paws

My Timberlands just gave way (I'd almost slipped and fell on some homogeneous tiled kitchenette in the office) and I figured it was time for a change. Enter these new paws.

Now I don't know if what all these chest beating terms like "EVERGRIP", "CELL" and what nots really count for all the dosh you dish out for these paws, but I am taking them for a spin to see if they really are worth their polymer weight in gold.
Footwear aside, weekend's here, and I am glad. Spray booth is in commission, tested it out last night and I reckon noise levels are lower than 30 dB, with enough draft to really take out them fumes from all my airbrushing. Might be meeting up with The Synapseman as well, so it'd be fab to catch up once more with another noteworthy urban hero of Da Old Skool.

Boy

They say that which differentiates the men from the boys is the price of their toys. Well, to that end, I'm guilty as charged! It's been a while since I've gotten myself into some serious spraying action, thanks to the folks going on about how the fumes are really turning the whole place into a War Zone. A couple of years ago, I would have dismissed it. BUT, age catches on, and it DOES actually get to me as well...I turn misty eyed after a airbrushing session not because I'm so good at it, the solvent fumes just dries your eyes up so bad, launch such an assault on your respiratory tract that you REALLY need one of these Spray Booths to keep it all in, PLUS a dual canister respirator...oh the joys of plastic modelling and modern living. And so, today I finally picked up my SPRAY BOOTH. It's one relatively compact contraption designed to really bite the dust off all that paint particulates and solvents that come raining down on the work area once you start a serious session of airbrushing.
Anywayyyy, it feels like a boy once again. The excitement of waking up the next morning filled with anticipation of the new toy. It is as if seeing it in the day casts a totally different light on it, giving it a fresh novel appeal that viewing it the night before somehow missed. I'm going to sleep now so I can do just THAT.

Introducing: S2

Rain Torrential

The Monsoon season seems to have returned with a vengeance. Since Sunday, the city is wet till one questions if the increase in incidents of pot holes in the roads are due to the heavy rainfall. Parking lots in sandy areas have had silt swaths running all over the place like somebody decided to pain some odd camouflage pattern on the ground. So, in a situation like that, it's when what might otherwise be considered the trappings of urban living, become some sort of a makeshift refuge for those who haven't got their Gore-Texed, Nikwaxed or 3M Water-Repellant-ed outfits conditioned for the season.
Enter S2. Some things never change, and she's still as good as ever when it comes down to having a good conversation. Never one to pull her punches, one can count on her to deliver where it counts.


So despite the weather, the evening wrapped up really well. It isn't often one gets so much laughter over dinner/coffee, the kind that rocks the glass panel walls you lean against which separate you from the elements out there which threaten to soak through even the most well waterproofed seams of outdoor apparel money can buy. Thank God.

Return of Keen Karat

Remember Keen Karat from another Blog in another time and place? Well, she just returned from LA and it's GOOD meeting up with her again. Always ready for a good chat, she's been one of the key persons in the life of the Greasemonkey. Welcome back :)

BTW

It's the first day back to work...after the Jackrabbit and RT became Mr. and Mrs. It's fab. Never realised bestman duties could be that exhausting...all that Randomness was really quite a challenge. That being said, they're soon going to be off on their honeymoon to Hokkaido...and I'm heading off to the airport right now, on a slow cruise, by the way.

New

The year starts in earnest to the tune of some 15 minutes of some of the finest fireworks I've seen. I haven't posted for a couple of days running already, but it's not without good reason. There's a visitor in town...