Dear readers,
I have just been taken to task - very gently it must be said - by one of my oldest and dearest friends for not having posted anything for some time, so I plan to rectify that right away. Sorry Eddie!
A quick update on matters familial first, I think, for my regulars, who will know that my sister has been staying with us in Singapore for the last few months. She was my tennis partner - until she thoughtlessly developed tendonitis and had to stop playing - style guru, and partner in movie going, and she has just gone back home to Australia. She was with us for 6 months, so it takes a bit of getting used to, but next week's holiday in Bali should help me get over it! I booked this a few months ago, on the basis that I was bound to be absolutely knackered after year end, and I was right. The photo above is where we will be staying, and if you fancy having a look at more pics, the link is attached at the bottom of this post.
I have never been to Bali before, and I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm certainly looking forward to some serious rest and relaxation. On that subject, work/life balance is something that I have never really mastered, despite the best efforts of my friend Steve to lead me to the light. That said, I think I owe it to my team to be a better role model, so there it is - my 3rd and last resolution for 2008.
Now, what to do with the time not spent at work, that's the question. Culturally, Singapore has a fair amount to offer, but it's complicated and somewhat idiosyncratic. I've shared with you before (in the post that featured a mention of the film "Lust, Caution") the issue of censorship of the arts, but you're going to love this one. We had planned to attend a performance of the Singapore Complaints Choir which was scheduled for last month. For those of you who are new to the idea of Complaints Choirs, it's an idea that got started in Helsinki a few years ago, based on the premise of transforming the energy that people put into complaining into something else.
The performance scheduled for Singapore did not take place, however, since the authorities did not want non Singaporeans in the choir complaining about Singapore. Apparently, the complaints are mostly about daily irritations like "People put on fake accents to sound posh", with the odd political complaint thrown in, but it was not to be. You can't help admiring the national pride that motivates such a decision, while simultaneously wanting to give the decision makers a good slap!
All in all, I love living in Singapore, despite - or perhaps in part because of - its idiosyncrasies. Most people know about the chewing gum rules - not allowed in public, and spitting it out entails a hefty fine. You can't buy chewing gum in Singapore in fact. This has never been something I have missed, but when our HR team went to Bintan in Indonesia for an offsite, no sooner had we docked than almost everyone in the team was stocking up with cartons of the stuff! I'm not sure whether it's because they really love chewing gum or if it's because it was a shopping opportunity that they can't experience at home, and I have written before about how much Singaporeans love shopping.......
I've also said before that Singapore really punches above its weight, economically speaking. Much of this is down to Lee Kwan Yu, who was Singapore's prime minister from 1959 to 1990. He ran Singapore with a firm but masterfully entrepreneurial hand, and turned this tiny city state into the “Lion of Asia.” He is still a huge presence in the region, and writes regularly for the daily free sheet "Today", giving his views on everything from homosexuality to democracy. He is quite some guy.
All the best till the report from Bali!
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