Le Journal de Heikal 

Let Down and Hanging Around

Relatives’ lies.
Snigger-wavering of President Bush when he landed at Caucasus Republic.
A string of ‘halal’ food chain appearing across Singapore owned by Chinese businessmen.
Pretentious, insecure people at Orchard Road.
Social programmes to maintain social ills.
The Merlion.
Let’s let down and hanging around.

Mesmerized by Japan

Ogenki Des Ka?

Exciting, exciting, exciting, it has been so far in my trip to Japan. I have momentarily forgotten about my sadness leaving Victoria. I love many things about Japan – it has an efficient (albeit confusing) subway system, excellent service everywhere, great food, superb technology, and cultured people. And if you have a Prime Minister looking like a rock star, it makes the country looks way cooler.

I’m staying with Yumi, a crazy cat whom I met during her exchange program at UVic. She’ll visit me in Singapore in July, when my brother gets married. Her parents are adorable and very easy-going people. Just two days ago we went BBQ by the beach in the Chiba Prefecture which is a 4 hour ride away from Machiya, Tokyo where Yumi lives. On the way there, I get to visit the field that the family owns.



Japan seems to get something right. What happened to that “either/or” question that embracing technological or modern values, one will lose the traditional ones? Japan manages to fuse both. Yumi’s house is a microcosmic example to support that view. Her house is designed typically Japanese – the one that you see in the movies with wooden windows and covered with paper screens. Inside however, you see many technological advanced features from the dishwasher to the water heater, the state of the art DVD player to the cordless iron. Nonetheless, these equipments are displayed in a nonchalant way, not display them for others to see like how pretentious society likes to do. I guess it reflects in the humbleness and the realization that equipments and technology do not rule lives. Japan progressed but it has its feet on the ground.

Many societies can take heed from Japan. Maintain the ground but do not be afraid to take chances. I guess this is one of the important values we can ever learn from this country which explains a lot about the country’s confidence. Many nations are in the midst of identifying one’s identity. What is symbolica of a nation? For the Canadians, what is representative of the couintry? The maple leaf or a peace-loving country? These insecurities finds itself not only in Canada, but in Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. Unfortunately economic reasons or market mechanism seem to be the main director of nations’ values.

On the 5th, I’m going to Nagoya for the World Expo. It was last held in Vancouver at 2000. This year, Japan is hosting it. And the theme that Japan proposes for this year’s Expo is “Nature’s Wisdom”. How apt. A cause after my own heart...... Expo in Japan, 2005

Meantime, my Japanese vocabulary has been building up, let me teach you a few.....
Gochi so-sama: Thanks for the meal
Owayi Dekite Gurishe-Des: Happy to see you again

Radiohead's Deep.... besides Madonna of course ;-)

Mediocre, untalented artists will find their existence unnecessary if everyone starts listening to Radiohead. Their talent is immensely big and the quality of some of their hit songs are worth ten albums of a popster, say Ashlee Simpson; the complexity of each song is mind-boggling and well thought out. Although some of their more popular songs such as "High and Dry" or "Creep" has strike a chord with the mainstream public, those songs were never intended to be a familiar tune or a popular hit, in the Hoboostank "The Reason" sense. Just look at the lyrics of "High & Dry", although unsuspecting listener would think it's another love song, it's really not. It speaks about being something that we are not and the ramifications of that process. It speaks about how one will suffer from withdrawal as if one is taking drugs, being addicted to recognition. However, it's not rhetorical; it's not a rebuke. It admits to how not simple things in life are. It speaks on multiple planes. Transcendent is the word. And that's the beauty of good songs, they invoke ambiguity yet meaningful to the listener. Listeners get to interpret the songs in their own way, relate to them differently than another. Thus, that's why I think Radiohead rocks. They are the real deal.

Time Stood Still

It's reading break. And reading break means I have to scramble to get things done ... to get my student visa extended, finding internship opportunities and finding housing for September when I come back (so that I won't end up in a hole). I have to arrange travel plans to go back to Singapore in the summer. That's too bad considering Victoria has exciting things happening throughout the period. My brother, Rendra and Lenny is getting married... and it's nice once again to see family, relatives and close friends in Singapore. I just hate going back and forth. The adjustments I have to make is immensely painful, either in Singapore or Canada. LIfe can be worse than this, can it?

One thing I can look forward to is visiting Yumi in Japan on my way to Singapore. Yani is joining me there. I love that country, probably because it fits my personality, the order amongst chaos; the humble and courteous people.


Accept No Limitations
Accept No Limitations
- MadonnaFave Media Website

Those Sweet Days

We went to a club on Friday and I enjoyed myself tremendously despite some of the unpleasant happenings. But that's okay. Bad memories are not worth re-telling or re-living. It was nice cos I'm with the group of people I'm most comfortable with: Niky, Lauren, Sakura, Nari, David, John ... (lauren, niky and John's not in the pictures)


Today is V-day... an insulting day for me, cos some people had decided to name this day after some Saint, and some of us who does not have a partner, have to suffer... this day is made insignificant for those without partners.... It's like an exclusive club, not meeting the conditions of membership. lame, lame, lame.... Fuck you Valentine!!!


"For a minute there, I lost myself
For a minute there, I lost myself"
Karma Police, Radiohead