Yesterday, I have completed my first paper - business strategy. Honestly, I think I did pretty OK. I wrote quite alot and I feel the lecturer should mark me up for my efforts. But, that is beside the point. My entry today is about my plight with car park charges.

My paper is scheduled at 2pm yesterday. I did not want to rush, so I made an effort to wake up early so I could make my way down to school at around 11am to run through the final points of my revision. My parents were away and so the car was mine to drive of the whole day. The only foreseeable concern was that my school is in Orchard. So, being a prudent individual about cost saving, I googled for the cheapest carpark rates in town.

It is a 3hr paper, and being myself, I knew I would use every last minute scrabbling my answers away. So I would probably leave school at approximately 515pm to 530pm. On top of that, I have also made plans to meet up with a friend in town for dinner and shopping. Which, I safely assumed will last till around 9-10pm.

Rough estimate: I would probably be in town for around 10hrs

So, I went on to search though the list of places and charges, highlighting those with a per entry charge. There were a few considerations. I am to be in town as early as 11am, but yet most carparks that graciously offer per entry parking, do it only after 3 or 5pm on Saturdays. There was only one place on the list to have a $4 per entry “round the clock” on Saturday - Wheelock’s Place. So I chopped chopped packed my bags and made my way over there.

Before entering Wheelock’s, I entered the URA public carpark behind Far East Shopping Centre to test market. Incredibly, in the mass of parking lots opportunist lurking around, I found one. I entered the lot and begun to dig at my coupons. And then, I thought: “since I am going to be in town for so long, might as well park at Wheelock’s at $4, coupons will need to be around $8 based on my time judgment”.

I wheeled out and entered the Wheelocks, with a level of satisfaction and thus NOT LOOKING AT THE PARKING RATES.

When I left the barrier gantry at around 930pm, I was charged $25. Apparently, they had recently changed the carpark rate. 1st hr: $2, subsequent 1/2hr: $1

I repeat. $25

And on my way back to Wheelock’s, I got hit by bird shit. I still thought that was a sign of good luck.

Guilty purchase this month.
But its ok man, because I made an effort to save up this month.

I think it looks seriously quite nice on me.

I have been really busy. Apart from my work, my assignments were due last week and examinations are just hiding around corner. Sometimes it feels like being rope-dragged in 4 directions by 4 horses running in different directions. There is a Chinese phrase that describes that kind of agony, but I’ve forgotten the hanyu pinyin spelling. Today is a Saturday yet I just spent my whole afternoon studying, its really nb sian.

Anyway, allow me to digress towards the direction of my meaningful title.

I think it was part of Mediacorp’s futile attempt to boast users for their online MOBTV service. On the Monday 2 weeks ago, I so happened to watch a re-run episode of a 1980’s Chinese drama series called “Mi Li Ye”. You probably won’t remember this, but the theme song is friggin eerie but nice.

Theme Song - Mi Li Ye

[Download]

Cheesy plot paired with decent acting. However, the highlight was that everything in it represents 80’s Singapore. It was a throwback for my diminishing memory during primary school years. I got so interested just watching the backdrop of the 80’s architecture, layouts and buildings.

I couldnt take it. There were a few buildings/places in the show that I have never seen before in my 23 years of Singapore life. So, I went to research here and there.

Before durian esplanade, did you know we actually had a National Theatre? And before the vibrant and expensive Sentosa underwater world, did you also not know we had an aquarium near town?

Both are true. The National Theatre used to stand near the junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Avenue, while Van Kleef Aquarium was located near the foot of fort Canning. Both were unfortunately X-ed out by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in mid 1980’s, long before I had any chance to know about it, let alone see it.

Somehow, there seems to be an increasing number of missing pieces of Singapore history for our younger generation. I deduced from the pragmatic and non-preserving stance (remember our ex-national library) of our very own gov development boards, that our older generations should reminisce and play a role to tell tales of early Singapore.

Anyway, you could check out from your older siblings or parents, especially those born before 1980. They would probably be familiar with this 2 places, apparently it was quite a excursion hot-spot for student and - lovers.

To be continued…

1. National Theatre

2. Van Kleef Aquarium

Ok, I caught a flu virus on eve of my birthday.

But it doesn’t matter

Because the highlights for the weekend was just absolutely crazy and I don’t think I have ever smiled continuously for so long. It was a case of 3 fantastic Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening super-combined into a kee siao birthday. I cannot describe how much I enjoyed myself and I hope everyone had a great time.

My friends are really farking sweet and I cannot take it.

But I am not going to cry.

Thanks for all the gifts and coming down. Plus a big hug to da-jie

- treat of my favorite makan
- the sweetest cakes
- a super stylo milo brown belt
- a super white-striped on white long sleeve cufflings shirt
- the salty shots and the flaming drinks
- a super “totally my style” messenger bag

Muack