Manila Mail
These words from my former editor at the start of this year still haunt me.
"Whatever you do, don't get married in December. We're sending you to the SEA Games.''
Many months later, I've finally set foot in Manila for the Games.
Traffic's bad, service slower, air terrible and media facilities not ideal.
But I'm not complaining. Why?
Because almost all of them speak good English.
Language's more important to me than smooth traffic, excellent service or clean air. As a journalist, being able to communicate is paramount.
Been sleep deprived here thus far with all the early morning starts (too used to the 11am start I get back home).
But life's good - hopefully this is not the calm before the storm.
It'll be a mad rush from tomorrow till Dec 5.
My prayer is that I'll be at the right place at the right time.
Mabuhay: Let the Games begin.
Shanghai Memories...
Singapore Idol or Idle?
Akan datang... Singapore Idol Season 2.
Time for all the closet karaoke fellas, void deck jammers, and bathroom singers to come out of hiding again.
And time for this blogger to decide whether to pursue a dream...
As the standard seems lower here vis-a-vis the US or UK, this blogger is itching to take part.
But there are many obstacles.
First, work.
Dunno if my company will give permission. Should I even bother asking?
Second, work.
Dunno if I can juggle both.
Third, work.
Dunno if I have time to queue and prepare for auditions in Feb.
Fourth, lack of work.
Dunno if I can still perform. Haven't sung to a large audience for a while... KTV sessions do not count.
But this blogger yearns for the experience, and wants to say - been there, done that.
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Me and my caddy
Small, big, funny pic
Al-most Got Tiger
I got up close to Tiger today... so close that his bodyguard spoke to me.
But I didn't have the balls to ask him for an autograph.
It was 10am. I had just arrived at the golf club, eager to meet some famous golfers.
And it was instant jackpot. As I was waiting for my editor, Woods got there.
I followed him down the stairs, and met one of the IMG fellas I knew. He introduced me to Tiger's manager.
Before I could figure out what was happening, Woods popped out of the player's room with his caddy, went up to the IMG fella whom I had just met, and started chatting.
Oh my gosh... Tiger was 2 metres away.
I wanted to get his autograph real bad. But I just froze. I stood there like a dumbo. And his minders were getting suspicious.
Then one of Woods' four bodyguards walked up to me. He was a brown-skinned American fella, but spoke fluent Mandarin.
He asked me in Mandarin what I was doing there. I was stunned...
I just said I was waiting for someone.
Wasted.
The Day I Spoke to Lao Hu Wu Si
The mission: to ask Tiger Woods one question at the press conference.
One that would justify my company flying me all the way to Shanghai to cover a golf tournament.
The setting was daunting - 300-odd media members cramped into a small function room.
The photographers and tv crew had formed a ring around Tiger, and it didn't help that there were about 2-3 rows in front of the press reserved for HSBC big shots.
Showtime.
I wanted to be the first to fire away, but was narrowly beaten by a Chinese journalist.
How to catch Tiger's attention?
I did the unthinkable - I stood on a chair in my bright red shirt so he could see me behind the Great Wall of photographers and raised my hand.
He saw me - half the battle was won.
I shouted my question. He didn't hear it.
Thank God the mic came.
I belted out my question.
He replied.
As Lau Hu Wu Si (Tiger's Chinese name) looked straight at me and spoke to me, my legs started to tremble, and I could not concentrate.
Then, I went for No. 2 - "what about Singapore?"
He didn't hear me.
I repeated, he answered again.
I sat down next to my boss who was also there - hands trembling, legs wobbling from the tension.
Mission accomplished.
In The Fast Lane
Sunday was a pai-tan (overworked, underpaid) day at the office.
Kenna cover Singapore Cup final, then EPL (midnight kickoff).
My only consolation was I got the intro of my Cup story spot on, even before kickoff. Predicted that Indra would shine again at the National Stadium, and score two goals.
Thank God there was no extra time - he scored the winner in the last minute!
In between, I had to rush a story on Singapore's SEA Games football draw.
After that, I had to report on Man U vs Chelsea.
Only left the office at 2.30am - jialat man. Thank God Man U won!
In the end, I practically wrote almost the entire Sports section: three lead stories, including the cover story all in 1 evening.
To those who have difficulty spotting my stories tomorrow, you must be blind!
It's almost 4am, and I have to be in the airport at 8am to catch my Shanghai flight.
Bed beckons, albeit for a little while...
See you in China...
Saturday Rush
Don't you wish sometimes that you have 30 hours in a day?That was my situation last Saturday, when
everything seemed to take place, and I wish I could split into two or three persons to do it all.
Back to reality.
The rush started with badminton at West Coast CC with Terence - 10.30am - without breakfast.
Caught a quick shower at Clementi Sports Hall, before speeding down to Peninsula Shopping Centre to meet Josh. Made my best man suit and shirt, then went to a Sushi place in Funan which seemed like a gay joint to satisfy my starving stomach.
3pm.
Reached the newsroom and started work at 4pm. Had to score a hat-trick with three stories that day. Needed speed, lots of form and NO distractions so I could go to Matt's housewarming and come back in time to cover Chelsea vs Blackburn.
Finished two stories, then headed to Matt's at 8pm and back to the office at 9.15pm.
It's one thing trying to write a 30cm match report due 30 mins after the game ends without quotes. It's a nightmare when that is punctuated with smses and calls hurrying you for drinks.
Overcame all that noise to churn out a decent piece.
Left the newsroom at 1.15am.
Drove like an impatient mad man down to Wine Bar, where I had to queue for the valet. Drinks with Maria & friends, Rajan, Steph, Doug and Fiona were great, a 3am supper at Boon Tong Kee superb.
Finally hit the sack at 5am - totally devoid of life.
