the week before it began

Independence Day is less than a week away, and as traffic begins to swell on the city's one-way roads, the nation is in full celebration swing. Which poses my question: what are we actually celebrating? Do we even know the actual history of how our nation was born?

Everyone has their own song to sing. The lyrics change with each interpretation. A mellow beat warped into a shrill scream, unheard.

As I sit here, waiting for a batch of laundry to go into spin cycle... Spin cycle. Wet things spinning around until every juice of water is drained from every pore of material. Once its done, I chuck it all in a bucket which I take out to the drying line. Then I wait again. For everything to dry so I can take it to the ironing board. Press. Steam. Everything is fresh as new.

Is that what we're celebrating? The change of the times, the lack of historical truth in our textbooks, what?

Raise a flag. Feel proud.

Where will your flag be in December?

2 Nights of Jazz

And so, the nights finally arrive. I make my debut at the Top Room, singing 6-8 Jazz numbers. Together with Malaysia's best female jazz vocalist, Junji Delfino, lost now found blues mamma, Shantini Venugopal, and musical theatre songbird Maya Abdullah, we'll take on some standards and showcase an original number or two. Friday 17th and Saturday 18th, begins 9:30pm.

I'm singing! I'm Singing!!

Check this out!

another year arrives

I turned 33 yesterday. Still a young man I am. A few people were surprised. Many expected me to be in my late-30s. I'm not surprised. Looking at my usually worn and tired face, I don't blame them for thinking me older. I also take it as a compliment knowing I'm seen as someone who knows and has done a bit more than that boy down the road. With that, I say thanks from the bottom of my shallow heart (shallow only because of my age, not my superficial need of owning my umpteen pair of Crocs!)

My birthday came round this year not with bells and whistles but with a dose of what needs to be done for me to grow a little wiser and play a little smarter. Past birthdays, and parties, have always left a bittersweet feeling. I used to ask why I bother throwing parties and celebrating. Always very hesitant but went ahead with it. The next couple of days after would see me wallow and question nearly everything that hadn't even happened yet. Yup, I was that kinda guy. Never completely happy to simply enjoy the coming of the years.

That's why this year was surprisingly different. No worries, no questions. The same friends and a few new ones. A fabulous dinner with a bellydancer and lots of whiskey manipulating my every move on the dancefloor. Doesn't sound very different from past years. However, it was and is.

I'm still a bitch. So, I've been told. But I don't care anymore. Work is great, friends even greater. Why on earth should I be worrying about things like boyfriends and money? That's a question not worth thinking and mulling over.

I had a fabulous party. I mentioned that, didn't I? Two great shows coming up. And very possibly a trip to Cambodia by year's end.

Lots of stuff to look forward to.